Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Don't Give Up

She walked to the local court for the hundredth and second time.

Just to hear the cruel judge deny her plea for justice for the hundredth and second time. He normally didn't even bother to actually listen to her, but that didn't stop her from stating her case.

She walked into the court, and patiently waited at the back of the group. There were a lot of people here today. Sighing, she slowly shifted forward.

Finally her turn arrived. She bowed slightly in respect to the judge. He looked up, and recognition lit his eyes. With a wave of his hand, he motioned for her to plea her case, but not before rolling his eyes.

Passionately she laid out her case before him, but his face remained the same - bored and uninterested. She ended her petition with, "Give me justice against my adversary."

She lowered her head, expecting to hear the familiar no at any second.

"I will give you justice."

What! Her head shot up, and her eyes were wide. Her shock must have been evident to the judge, because he rolled his eyes again. With another flick of his wrist, he indicated that she should leave.

She walked out of the court completely dazed. He had granted her justice! She had gotten justice! To think, she almost hadn't come today, but thank the Lord that she had. Her persistence had paid off!

Based on Luke 18:1-8

"And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, 'In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, "Give me justice against my adversary." For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, "Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming."' And the Lord said, 'Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?'" Luke 18:1-8

This is a parable talking about a woman seeking justice. Unfortunately, too often we use it as a reason to bombard God with our own personal agendas. I get a little frustrated when people take this section of Scripture to justify nagging God. God never said He would grant our every wish. He did say that He would always give justice to His people.

Guys, what about justice? What about Christians fervently seeking God's will on the earth? What about people who pray without giving up, losing fight, calling it a day?

Jesus said something very serious at the end of this section, and it resonates within my soul. "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" Will He find you and me, praying in God's kingdom, or will we have completely abandoned the cause?

Jesus was saying DON'T GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!!!

"But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded."
2 Chronicles 15:7

The judge in this parable was an earthly man who didn't care about serving God or issuing justice. He gave into the woman's request because he was annoyed! God is not like that! Jesus was saying how much more would God deliver justice on behalf of His people. We just can't give up. We can't quit. We need to hold onto that faith and onto that promise. God will not break His promise. In the meantime, can we promise to hold onto our faith until then?

V. Joy Palmer

No comments:

Post a Comment