We Know These Three Things
CONFIDENTLY CALL ON THE LORD: October 20, 2019
A consistent criticism that Christians levy against their own faith is the shortcomings of their personal prayer life. Either it doesn’t happen often enough, or when it happens it isn’t persistent enough.
This week’s service is God’s encouragement to pray and pray persistently. The widow in the Gospel lesson is typical of the way God invites us to pray. Although she faced an unbelieving and corrupt judge, her persistence eventually wore him out and he granted her request. In the same way, God encourages us to wear him out with our persistent prayer. In a rather fascinating lesson from Genesis, Jacob wrestled with God. There was both spiritual struggle (prayer) as well as a physical struggle. Jacob did not stop his struggle until God blessed him. God invites us to pray with the same relentlessness. Finally, John addresses a common misgiving that leads to a feeble prayer life. After we pray, we translate God's silence to mean he's not listening. With bold language, John says, "we know God hears and answers us!"
Sometimes Christians hear the Bible’s verses on prayer to be discouraging. “Pray continually;” “you do not have because you do not ask” And we say, “Ugh! I don’t do that!” Prayer, though, is not a duty to fulfill, but the happy conversation of my soul with my God. And, there’s no time like the present to begin those happy conversations anew.
► Readings:
• Genesis 32:22-30: Jacob wrestles with God.
• 1 John 5:13-15: We know God hears and answers prayer.
• Luke 18:1-8: Pray, and don't give up!
• Psalm: 121
► Sermon theme: "We Know These Three Things"