Don't Give Up
This past Saturday night I had a wonderful dinner at the Youth for Christ banquet in Selkirk. As we listened to the great things God is doing in the lives of youth, I realized that I knew the woman who was involved in starting the ministry 30 or so years ago. The next day I saw her and I asked about how YFC Selkirk started. She told me an amazing story that involved a dream in which God spoke to her, youth meeting in a banquet hall of a bar, many challenges, and much prayer. It was the prayer part that I picked up on. Why? Because at one point - once they no longer could meet at the banquet hall and a few other things fell through - a group of people met weekly for 2 years to pray for the youth of Selkirk. Two years! Finally their prayers were answered and YFC was established in Selkirk at the location they still meet at today. The youth of today are benefiting from the perseverant prayers of people in the past.
It was fitting that this week's Gospel reading is Luke 18:1-8: the Parable of the Persistent Widow. Admittedly it is an odd story Jesus tells. The widow is stubborn and the judge is unjust. The only reason he grants the widow's request is that he is bothered by her repeated requests and he is concerned about what may happen if he doesn't give in. God is not like the unrighteous judge. He is not bothered by our prayers. He will answer according to His will and His timing. We just need to not give up!
So if you are growing weary in your prayers - especially those for justice - let me encourage you to keep asking. Keep taking the time (day or night) to cry out to God. Keep growing in your faith and trust. God is there and He is for you in the most complete way. Remember, Jesus told His followers this parable "to show them that they should always pray and not give up." (Luke 18:1). Let's listen to Him.
peace and grace,
Tracy
It was fitting that this week's Gospel reading is Luke 18:1-8: the Parable of the Persistent Widow. Admittedly it is an odd story Jesus tells. The widow is stubborn and the judge is unjust. The only reason he grants the widow's request is that he is bothered by her repeated requests and he is concerned about what may happen if he doesn't give in. God is not like the unrighteous judge. He is not bothered by our prayers. He will answer according to His will and His timing. We just need to not give up!
So if you are growing weary in your prayers - especially those for justice - let me encourage you to keep asking. Keep taking the time (day or night) to cry out to God. Keep growing in your faith and trust. God is there and He is for you in the most complete way. Remember, Jesus told His followers this parable "to show them that they should always pray and not give up." (Luke 18:1). Let's listen to Him.
peace and grace,
Tracy
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