Pray Always
Luke 18:1-8 1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”
6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
So, is this parable about justice, or is it about being persistent in prayer? Or, perhaps it refers to the faithfulness of God.
Since the judge is considered unjust, we understand that the parable is not teaching about justice. Otherwise, the woman’s plea for justice would have been answered the first time.
Instead, Jesus is trying to teach the importance of prayer. I have often said we should approach God as a first response, not as a last resort. The woman in this parable did not approach the judge multiple times because she believed he had not heard her. Quite the contrary. She knew her pleas were heard, but because they were not acted upon the woman was relentless in her requests.
God always answer our prayers, just not in the way we expect. Sometimes the answer is “yes”, at other times “no”, and still at other times “not now”. When we pray often we can develop the ability to discern the difference.
Finally, persistent prayer does not reflect unbelief. Rather, it is an act of faith as we take our requests before God’s throne as many times as needed. And when we end our prayers with “in Jesus’ name”, we are saying that we are asking in agreement with Jesus, according to His will,
May we learn to be persistent in prayer, faithful in our beliefs, and careful to praise God in all situations, at all times.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Luke 10:38-42 (NCV) 38 While Jesus and his followers were traveling, Jesus went into a town. A woman named Martha let Jesus stay at her house. 39 Martha had a sister named Mary, who was sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to him teach. 40 But Martha was busy with all the work to be done. She went in and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me alone to do all the work? Tell her to help me.”
41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things. 42 Only one thing is important. Mary has chosen the better thing, and it will never be taken away from her.”
Martha’s Distraction Mary’s Devotion
Preparing for Jesus and guests Only Jesus
Working for perfection Working for the kingdom
Too busy to hear the message Learning to spread the Word
So many issues in these verses:
1. Martha is a close enough friend of Jesus to scold him (Tell her to help me!)
2. Martha trying to do too many things
3. Martha has a house occupied by herself, her sister Mary, and her brother Lazarus which indicates she is financially secure. Probably has household help
4. Jesus does not chastise Mary, as Martha expected, but instead cautions Martha
5. Very likely Martha has already asked for help multiple times, but either Mary did not do enough to meet Martha’s expectations, or, she ignored Martha altogether
6. Mary is not partaking in the normal household duties of a woman. Instead, she is totally focused on the Teacher along with the male disciples.
How do we determine “the better thing?”
I love this scripture so much that I have used it three times in sermons! I love that Martha was so close to Jesus she was not too intimidated to speak to Him in a rather stern manner. “Tell her to help me!” is not the approach I would take. After all, she is speaking to the Son of God!
Martha was certainly industrious and not idle. I’m sure she was a great hostess, but she was frustrated! When Jesus came to visit, He was not alone—He came with disciples, curiosity seekers, and others. And Mary, instead of helping with the work, sat at Jesus’ feet.
At first glance it would appear Martha was exhibiting all of the qualities of a virtuous woman found in Proverbs 31. There was cleaning to do, cooking, probably buying extra supplies. Yet, Jesus commended Mary and not Martha.
Jesus could have easily chastised Mary, not only for leaving Martha to do the bulk of the work. But, also, it is likely Mary was the sole woman sitting and listening to Jesus. After all, sitting at the feet of the teacher was the posture of men who were being prepared to preach. Yet, Jesus said Mary, rather than Martha, had chosen the better part.
But wait a moment. What is really going on here? Martha, in her zeal to provide her guests with the perfect evening, has not taken the time to assess what Jesus really desired. Did he want or need an elaborate meal? No. Jesus loved Martha and Mary, and what he desired was an evening with his friends, where he could share not just their table, but their heart.
Martha’s motives were not in question–she simply got so caught up in the business of the day that she became preoccupied and missed the real reason for Jesus’ visit. Is this not a lesson many of us would do well to learn?
Mary certainly saw Martha hurrying around making preparations for the evening meal. No doubt she knew Martha was angry because the work was being left to her. But Mary would not be dissuaded from her purpose–sitting at the feet of her teacher, learning spiritual lessons that would last far beyond the physical food that Martha was preparing.
Martha learned a valuable lesson. There is work to be done, but what part is necessary and what part do we add due to our misguided plans? Jesus lovingly called Martha by name, and to emphasize the importance of what he said, he repeated her name. A rebuke, yes, but gentle and loving. It is what I like to call “a teachable moment.“
There is a need for Marthas and Marys, but we must learn a proper balance. And, when we have the chance to sit at our Master’s feet, let us take it.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
I waited patiently
Psalms 40 1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the LORD
and put their trust in him.
4 Blessed is the one
who trusts in the LORD,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.
5 Many, LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many to declare.
6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—
but my ears you have opened—
burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.
8 I desire to do your will, my God;
your law is within my heart.”
9 I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips, LORD,
as you know.
When you are discouraged or even fearful, this is a great psalm to read out loud. Troubles, pleas for deliverance, and, of course, the faithfulness of God are all on display.
King David wrote this psalm after his battle with his son, Absalom. Regardless of his circumstances, David made a practice of writing these beautiful songs, sharing both his heartbreak and his victories with his people. David’s psalms underscore his love for and trust in God, and it is for this reason that I remind people of the poetic literature that is the Psalms.
You see, we need to remember life’s tragedies as well as God’s steadfastness, knowing and believing that God is aware of our coming and our going and He cares for us. And personally, any Scripture reminding me to wait patiently for the Lord is one I need to keep in my arsenal.
May we give all to the One who gave all to us, knowing and believing that He will deliver us in His time.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Crown of Life
Proverbs 16:31 31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.
Deuteronomy 31:6 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
I have a confession to make. My confession is that I am old but never expected to be old. Although I lived much of my life surrounded by older people, somehow I thought old age would pass me by. Yet, here it is and I have to say that it seldom rests easy upon my shoulders.
People equate old age with wisdom. But since I live in this aging body, I cannot seem to find the room in which wisdom is supposed to reside. How odd is that?
Instead, I seek out the wisdom of the Scriptures. I listen to others who may not be as far along in their walk as I, yet it seems to me they have acquired a sage understanding of how the world works, and how we, the elderly, can fit into it.
And I trust in and rely upon the one true and living God, and upon Jesus my redeemer and the Holy Spirit my guide. How then, can I go wrong?
I read this morning a quote from evangelist Lester Sumrall, “when you feed your faith, you starve your doubt.”
May we, regardless of where we find ourselves in the calendar of life, be strong and of good courage, not in and of ourselves, but through the power of the one who created us for a reason and not for a season.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
He Refreshes my Soul
Psalms 23:1-3 1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
John 10:1-5 1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
“What a day I’m having, what a day I’m having!” The 1984 movie, “Splash,” featured Eugene Levy in a supporting role in which there were several instances that saw him in precarious circumstances and he uttered the above lines. Well, this morning as we were driving to the dentist we hit a slick spot and, despite maneuvering, we plunged down a ravine. Thankfully, the car stopped less than a foot from a tree and we were surrounded by underbrush and other foliage.
My dentist drove to the site of the mishap, took me to his office where he completed the procedure, and Larry waited in the car for a tow-truck. Although Dr, Moudy was indisputably our hero, I was reminded that “The Lord is my Shepherd.” When we finally arrived home, we took a few ragged breaths and thanked God for His protection.
It occurred to me that even Christ followers are sometimes unaware of just how close we come to veering off our chosen path. Thankfully, our Good Shepherd is never far away, and we can always be comforted by His presence, even as we navigate the pitfalls of this life.
May we keep our eyes on the Shepherd and be grateful each day for His loving kindness.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 