ENDURING FAITH Luke 18: 1-8

In the scripture above most commonly titled “The Parable of the Persistent Widow,” just as in many other parables of Jesus, like the Parable of the Good Samaritan, or the Parable of the Sower, or of the Tax Collector, Jesus was providing spiritual food to those who hungered for it. In fact, in the very first verse, we are told the reason for this parable. Depending on the Bible version, it reads: “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Or the version I prefer; “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must keep praying until the answer comes.” We can say that the lesson here is about faith, enduring faith, faith to come back again and again to God in prayer and not give up when God’s answer is not forthcoming.

I do not know about you, but I must confess that just like you, being a witness to what is going on in our world today: the violence and injustice of wars, the flagrant genocides in Palestine and Ukraine, and especially what is going on in our country: the unchecked cruelty of ICE for whom places once out of limit, such as Churches, Hospitals, and Schools are no longer protected, the suffering of the general population, a great portion of whom, can barely put food on their table or afford medical care; often enough I have to summon the last ounce of spiritual strength that I have to go back to God in prayer about doing something, even daring to ask Him, “How Long LORD?’ “How Long will You allow these things to go on? If you have been in that place, and even if you have not, I invite you to meditate with me on the ENDURING FAITH that all of us need in these difficult times.

We often hear Christians use the acronym PUSH in conversation about prayer. It means Pray Until Something Happens. It is an encouragement not to give up. It is a concept that tests our faith, something that Jesus acknowledges in verse 8 when he asked the question “When I the Messiah returns, how many will I find who have faith [and are praying]?” How many will I find with the faith that will sustain them in prayer? The faith that is strong enough to sustain their expectations, the faith that is enduring enough to allow them to trust and to hope. How difficult is it to keep praying days after days for the same thing, even though nothing is happening?

In the book of Isaiah 40:31, the prophet instructs us on the relationship between Trust, Patience, Faith, and Hope. There we read: “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint. Here Isaiah is talking about Hope, the Hope in the Lord, the kind of hope that keeps us praying even when nothing is happening. The word Hope infers the presence of both Trust and Patience. Trust involves the confidence in God’s power to deliver and the Faith, the enduring faith, that He will. Hoping in the Lord implies the Patience to wait for God. Trust + Patience = Hope.

When we pray, we must have both. But we must also have tenacity. Constant prayer, enduring prayer, means keeping our requests without ceasing before God, as we live for Him day by day, always believing that He will answer. When we thus live by faith, we do not give up, we cannot give up. Yes, it may be trying at times but we ought to understand that God’s delays always have good reasons beyond our understanding. We must not confuse these delays with neglect on the part of God toward us. In this parable, Jesus wants us to know that if evil judges respond to unrelenting request, how much more will our gracious and loving God respond to us. If we have faith in his love, we can believe that He will hear our cries. Don’t give up, despite our moments of weakness. Don’t give up. Continue to PUSH; Pray Until Something Happens. It will.

Let us pray.  Gracious and Loving God, we praise and glorify your Holy Name. We give you thanks for all that you have done and continue to do in our lives. We thank you God for the gift of our faith in you. It is the faith that has sustained us through very difficult times when like Thomas we wanted to see in order to believe. Help us O God to see more and more with eyes of faith instead of our own understanding, and never to give up praying even when nothing seems to be happening. O God of miracles, work out your miracles on behalf of everyone reading this meditation that whatever situation they are dealing with will be resolved according to your will. Increase our faith that we may see your hand working in and through us O God, and feel your power transforming our lives. In the name of Jesus, the Christ we pray. Amen and Amen.

Written by Rev. Franck Aguilh