Luke 18 talks a lot about prayer. The persistent prayer of the widow, the humble prayer of the tax collector, and the plea of the blind man.
In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells a parable of a widow who repeatedly went to an evil judge pleading for justice against someone that had wronger her. She was persistent and didn’t give up. He was a godless man with great contempt for everyone, but her persistence got the best of him and he answered her plea. If this evil judge rendered a just plea, just imagine what a good and faithful God would do with the persistent prayers of his children. He hears them and will respond.
Luke 18:9-13 Jesus tells the parable of 2 men who prayed. The first was the proud pharisee and the other was a dishonest tax collector. The pharisee’s prayer lacked humility as he thanked God that he wasn’t a sinner like everyone else. The tax collector on the other hand, knew his sin and felt conviction. He said, “Oh God be merciful to me for I am a sinner”. It was the sinner, and not the Pharisee that became right with God. Luke 18:14 “For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored”.
Luke 18:35-43 A blind man was sitting beside the road and heard that Jesus was coming. He began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” His shouting was a prayer to Jesus for healing. He was desperate. And Jesus answered him with healing because of his faith. This is the prayer that comes when we are at the end of ourselves. In our desperation we can also cry out and say “Jesus, Son of David have mercy on me”!
What are you praying fervently for right now? Is there something that is always on your heart as you desperately wait for an answer? Do you present it to God fervently and without ceasing? Do you humbly approach the God of the universe knowing that we have no capacity to understand his full and wonderful plan? Do you cry out to “Jesus the Son of David” for healing?
There is so much to pray for in our personal lives and in the world. It is overwhelming to us, but none of it surprises God. He knows what will happen tomorrow, next week, and next year.
Keep praying.