DAY #124: Luke 18:1-17

This passage begins with Jesus sharing a story that shows if an evil man can be made to deal justly by a persistent woman, how much more would God, who loves his people, care for their requests.

The scene pictures a judge who is godless and contemptuous. He should have been championing those who needed justice, but when a widow came for help, he ignored her. This woman had little hope of gaining the justice she sought, so she used the only weapon she had—persistence. With nothing to lose, she made herself an irritant to the judge. To get rid of her, he saw to it that she got justice.

If an unjust judge will respond to constant pressure, how much more will a great and loving God respond to his people? They know he loves them; they can believe he will hear their cries for help. They can trust that one day God will give a just decision in the end. As God’s people seek to be obedient in this sinful world, they can know that God will not keep putting them off. It may seem for a time that their cries go unheard. But one day, God will grant justice to them quickly.

Then Jesus asked a key question, “When I, the Son of Man, return, how many will I find who have faith?” Will people have persisted in faith? Will they be ready and waiting when he comes?
After encouraging the disciples to be persistent in prayer, Jesus taught them, with a parable, how to pray. The attitude of prayer is vitally important. The words of our prayers are not nearly as important as the attitude and motive which we bring in prayer.

The principle of the parable is that no one has anything of value to bring to God in order to deserve salvation, mercy, justification, or even a second glance from God. The proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored. Acceptance before God cannot be achieved by good deeds, piety, or any amount of self-proclaimed righteousness.

Jesus used a child’s humility as a striking picture of the appropriate attitude with which to approach God. Instead of being too busy for children, Jesus called for them and wanted them to come to him. No one should be stopped from coming to Jesus, no matter how young or old. Jesus explained that the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these, not meaning that heaven is only for children but that people need childlike attitudes of trust in God.

The receptiveness of little children was a great contrast to the stubbornness of the religious leaders who let their education and sophistication stand in the way of a simple faith. Anyone who doesn’t have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God. Childlike faith means trusting God no matter what, always knowing that he has your best in mind. You love him because he loves you. You trust completely because the One you trust is completely trustworthy.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colossians 3:12 (NIV)


"... God gives special blessings to those who are humble, but sets himself against those who are proud." 1 Peter 5:5 (LB)


God desires a humble, genuine, authentic heart from me. God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Lord, today strip me of my self-importance. Strip me of any arrogance or haughtiness. Strip me of my pride and help me have the same attitude of Jesus.

"Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ, who, though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God, but laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men. And he humbled himself even further, going so far as actually to die a criminal's death on a cross." Philippians 2:5-8 (LB)


Lord, thank you for the people of COV. Continue to build this same attitude into the people of COV. Humility and servanthood.