Luke 18:1-7 (NIV) 1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' 4"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' " 6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
Romans 12:1-2 (NIV) 1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
We have two primary helps in the presence of crisis, and both are seen in the plight of the widow in Jesus’ parable. The first is to pray to have the mind of Christ. There are many ways of renewing the mind of Christ, and certainly prayer is a central and powerful way.
Our second help in the presence of crisis is literally to follow the example of the widow who came and kept on coming to a certain judge. No matter how powerful and impregnable our opposition may appear, there will always be an Achilles’ heel. In the case of this judge it was his love of “taking his ease,” which he could not take because of the wearisome pleading of the widow.
We have an important reason for confidence in the presence of crisis if our cause and case be just: “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?” When God wanted the Jews out of Egypt, God called Moses. When God wanted moral, compassionate living among the people, God called the prophets. When God wanted the Good News of the liberating power of Jesus made known and real to the world, God sent the disciples. In these examples, when God wanted something done He called forth people to His cause. He does so still.
In facing crisis, we cannot afford to watch passively. God can do more with complete failure than with complete apathy. We can pray for our enemies, and we can pray for ourselves, most especially for the perspective that comes from the renewal of our minds. Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope August 26, 1990
© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell Broyles
No comments:
Post a Comment