“Then he told them a parable, saying that men should always pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1).
Sometimes when God seems reluctant to accept our prayers, the result is that we begin to seek Him more fervently. When our prayers are not immediately answered, we should not jump to foolish conclusions about God Himself. It may be that He is waiting to find out from our continued prayers how deep our desires really are. Our prayers may be answered sooner than we expect – and in a better way than we can imagine. When this happens, we are able to enjoy a deeper appreciation of God’s goodness.
In Luke 18, Jesus told His disciples the story of a widow who refused to give up when a judge would not grant her petition for help, but continued pleading until the judge finally granted her request. Jesus said that we should “always pray and not give up” (v.1). The desired answers to our prayers may not come immediately, but we should not assume that God does not listen or does not care. His delay may actually mean that he cares more than we think. There is no doubt that it is their intelligence that prevents them from rushing into quick solutions to our problems when they need more long-lasting solutions. In any event, Jesus assures us that God’s ears are open to those “who cry out to him day and night,” even though “he is patient with them” (v.7). God expects from us constant faith and constant prayer.
In one of his famous metaphors, Spurgeon said, “The spade of suffering digs deep trenches to catch the waters of life.” It’s a truth that our hearts often need Ready Before God can bless us. We have little understanding of the value of kindness, and our need for it taught Really enjoying the good things God is able to do.
So hunger is not always a bad thing. There’s an old saying that “Hunger is the best sauce.” And Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Perhaps our appetites need to be more intense before we can properly enjoy the feast. If so, God may withhold the feast until we are ready.
“Standing outside the door of mercy, we become more earnest in our petitions. First we ask, then we seek, and at last we plead with weeping, with tears and a broken heart” (Charles Hayden Spurgeon).
Gary Henry – WordPoints.com AreYouaChristian.com
