Journey Through The Bible
     Old Testament Reading: Genesis 32-36
     New Testament Reading: Luke 18

Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up (Luke 18:1).

Jesus told His disciples to pray always and not give up. We should never get so discouraged in our Christian walk we quit praying. We should pray continually. Prayer should be the natural habit of our lives.

In teaching about prayer, Jesus tells two parables. Like in all of His parables, Jesus tells two simple short stories that have tremendous spiritual significance.

First, Jesus encouraged His disciples to have a relentless and active prayer life by comparing prayer to the persistence of a widow. Whether it is Moses petitioning God to preserve His obstinate people in the wilderness, Hannah praying through tears before the tabernacle, or David praising God through Psalms, the Bible demonstrates that throughout history, the Lord inclines His ear to those who cry out to Him.

Jesus reasoned that if this poor widow got what she deserved from a selfish judge, how much more a loving Heavenly Father will be inclined to give what is good and right to His children. If we fail to pray our spiritual condition will be like the physical condition of the poor widow. This should encourage us to pray.

In the second parable, a self-righteous prideful Pharisee prays to himself and anyone else that was listening. In two verses, he refers to himself five times. This type of arrogant prayer goes no further than the person praying. This Pharisee was deluded about prayer and how God saw him. He truly was praying to himself.

In stark contrast, was an unrighteous tax collector who humbled himself before God. He confessed his sins and pleaded with God for mercy. As a result, the tax collector went home justified by God, while the proud Pharisee went home only self-satisfied.

Our Father never tires of hearing from us. We can be assured that our prayers don’t stop at the ceiling. God is committed to responding to those who pray to Him. So let us pray and not lose heart!