Senior Pastor of Cleveland Baptist Church
Without a doubt, one of the greatest blessings of being a born again, child of God is the fact that we have the right to approach the throne room of Heaven with our prayer requests. I am glad there is a God in Heaven who is not too busy to help me with my needs. Too often, though, we do not avail ourselves to the privilege of prayer as we ought; it is easier to worry about our problems and talk to other human beings than to take our needs to the Lord in prayer. Maybe that is because prayer is an exercise of faith.
We cannot see God or see Him work, so we hesitate to pray. We need to learn the discipline of prayer and avail ourselves to the opportunity of fellowship with God. One reason God allows us to face problems is so we can learn to bring our needs and troubles to Him for His touch to fix them.
I have learned that prayer is essential in my life. I have seen God do many wonderful things in direct response to my prayers. Recently, I was facing some trouble and realized that I needed to take definite steps to confront the problem; however, before I responded physically, I needed God to work in the situation. I found myself on my face before Him pleading for His intervention and help. He heard and He did that which only He could do. It was such a blessing, and it was also humbling to watch as God responded to my need.
Luke 18:1 says, “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint.” This parable dealt with a widow who went to see a judge about getting help with a problem she was facing. Her adversary was making her life miserable. We are not told what she was dealing with, but whatever it was necessitated her going to the court of law to get help. The indication is that this judge was not very sympathetic at first; he really was not at all concerned about the problem or doing much to help with the need. This woman, however, was not about to quit asking. I get the impression that every day, when this judge showed up at his place of business, this woman was the first one in line asking for his help. She was obviously not going anywhere until she got what she was after.
Finally, the judge realized that he might as well do what she asked or he was not going to get any rest. He dealt with her problem and the application is clear in verses 6-8, “And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
The central truth of this parable is that God will help His people, and He does it in direct response to their willingness to pray. God may not answer your prayer immediately. Sometimes it may be a long time in praying. You must keep coming to Him. But mark it down; if the need is legitimate and your heart is burdened, God is at work as you pray. Sooner or later, God will answer that prayer so that you know it is He who has done it.
