Show Notes
READ: PSALMS 68:5; 145:8-9; LUKE 18:1-8
Have you ever felt like you have lost the heart to pray? It could be for any number of reasons. Jesus knows there are times we may be discouraged from praying, and so He tells a parable in Luke 18 meant to encourage His people to not give up praying.
The first character in this story is a judge. Right away, we learn this is not a God-fearing or people-respecting judge, meaning he’s probably not going to settle your case fairly. Chances are, to get a favorable ruling, you’d probably need to grease this judge’s palm.
Next, we meet the second character in the story: an impoverished widow seeking justice from the unjust judge. This widow doesn’t have the influence, power, or money necessary to sway his opinion. So, what does the widow do? She perseveres.
Eventually the judge gives the widow a just ruling because he becomes so sick and tired of her “pestering” him (verse 5)!
Now, we may read this parable and think the judge is supposed to be God. If that were true, then God would be a grumpy, unfair judge who only listens to us if we bug Him enough.
But this view of God couldn’t be further from the truth!
Notice how Jesus explains the parable in verses 6 and 7: if even the unjust judge in this story answered the widow’s request because of her perseverance, how much more will a perfectly just and loving God answer our requests? With this truth in mind, we can be encouraged to persevere in our prayers, knowing that God hears us with tenderness and compassion. • Jonathon Fuller
• Can you think of a time you lost the heart to pray? Jesus understands. He sees everything you’re going through, and He has so much empathy for you.
• When we’re hurting, it’s easy to imagine that God is coldhearted toward us. But He loves us so ardently that He was willing to die for us! Whenever you pray, you can rest assured that you belong to the God who has chosen you, receives your cry, and promises to work on your behalf. Do you have any favorite Bible passages that remind you what God is really like? How could being reminded of God’s characteristics—like His love, His justice, and His profound care for us—help us come to Him with our needs and longings?
Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 (CSB)
More from Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens
READ: MATTHEW 6:19-21; JOHN 3:16-17; 14:1-4; REVELATION 19:6-9; 21:1-5
READ: PSALM 139:1-4; ROMANS 5:6-8; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 We curate the caption and crop the distraction, Chasing the applause of a virtual reaction. We polish the exterior to hide the interior, Afraid that our true selves are somehow inferior. But in the quiet, when the screen goes black, We feel the heavy weight of the perfection we lack. See, Jesus didn’t come for your highlight reel, He came for the brokenness you try to conceal. No filter could cover the crimson cost of sin, So He opened His arms to let the rebels in. On the cross, He was exposed, stripped, and bruised, So the real you would never have to be refused. He was buried in the dark so you could walk in the light, Tearing the veil to make your future bright. The grave couldn’t hold Him, the stone rolled away, Giving you mercy that is new every day. You are not a brand, a post, or a trend, You are chosen, beloved, and called His friend. So drop the performance, let the pretense cease, And rest in the rhythm of His perfect peace. • Ty Scott King • Why do you think it’s sometimes easier to show people a curated version of ourselves rather than who we really are? What parts of yourself do you try to curate, edit, and hide away? • Jesus sees the unedited version of you, and He loves you so much that He died and rose again for you. How could this truth affect the way yo view your mistakes, flaws, or things you just don’t like about yourself? • Are there any areas of your life where you feel like you’re putting on a performance instead of trusting God’s grace? Consider spending some time in prayer, laying these things down at Jesus’s feet and asking Him to help you see yourself the way He sees you. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)