Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 49
Labouring In Prayer (Luke 18:1-8)
The burdens of life can often be so overwhelming at times that they threaten to rob the believer of his confidence in God’s ability to help him through yet another impasse. Our Lord Jesus teaches us never to stop praying even in the toughest of circumstances.
Prayer is the believer’s power with God. Persistence in prayer is not the natural habit of the believer. Our prayer life is evidence of true faith. It gives hope to the children of God who are going through much tribulations. When we stop praying, we stop believing. When we pray, God gives us faith. Faith keeps us praying and praying strengthens our faith, paradoxical but true. This is the mysterious interplay of man’s responsibility and God’s sovereignty.
Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.
The key or prominent characters or elements of the parable are (1) the undeterred widow; (2) the unjust judge; and (3) the adversary who was the source of the widow’s misery.
The King James translator correctly translated in the italics “to this end” to show purpose. The literal translation can be “it is necessary always to pray and not to faint”. The word “ought” is used to carry the sense of necessity of duty or command. Notice also the word for “pray” always refers to “prayer to God” in the New Testament. The disciples are to pray under all circumstances especially in the midst of afflictions and hardships of life.
The key word is the adverb “always” – it connotes “time”, it means “at all times”, it speaks of constancy in prayer, a consistent prayer life. “To faint” is to lose heart, to let despondency take over, become discouraged, give up, grow weary, to despair, to be demoralized, to lose one’s motivation, to stop praying.
Luke 18:2,3 …There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
The judge in the parable was not given as a representation of God but was used to contrast what God is not. In Luke chapter 18 and verse 6, Jesus called the judge unjust. The widow was in great distress and in her helpless estate, being sorely pursued by her adversary. She had only one recourse – to appeal to the wicked or unjust judge, an almost impossible task. The word “avenge” in verse 3 means to do justice, to vindicate, protecting one from another or taking just “vengeance”.
Luke 18:4,5 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, “Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.”
Notice the judge’s refusal to the widow’s continual asking. Consider the widow’s desperate situation that caused her to be so persistent. She was at her wits end. There was no one else that has the power to right the wrong she had suffered and continue to suffer. It was so unbearable, she was desperate.
The emphasis is that God will vindicate His misunderstood and suffering people. The encouragement is therefore, under any circumstances, we should never give up but continue to trust the Lord.
“Continual coming” is a key phrase in the parable. It describes the importunate, persistent, persevering character of the widow, not giving herself up to her problem but she focused on seeking help needed to ease her plight.
The word “weary” literally means “to strike in the face, torment”, it is to be understood metaphorically. The widow’s continual coming to the judge depicted her persistency. By way of application, this is a picture of a prayer warrior, a fighter, not a spiritual weakling but one who prevails with God on his knees.
Luke 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Verse 7 gives the contrast between the unjust judge and the just and righteous God, the Judge of all judges, who will certainly vindicate His children who are in distress.
Luke 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
The punch line for every believer living in the days just prior to Jesus’ Second Coming is to show forth our faith by our persevering prayer. May God help His people to labour in both private and corporate prayer for His glory! Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee