Nagging God

He then told them this parable on the need for them to pray always and not become discouraged. “There was a judge in one town who didn’t fear God or respect man. And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect men, yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so she doesn’t wear me out by her persistent coming.’”

Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. Will not God grant justice to His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay to help them? I tell you that He will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” Luke 18:1-8

I like this parable but I am not comfortable with it. Perhaps for that reason I have always given it a little spin when I read it. First, the unjust judge must have been an activist judge – not unlike those on the notorious Ninth Circuit – not really interested in the will of the people and certainly having no fear of God.

Another thing that bothers me is that it seems to encourage nagging. I could do without that.

Being no Greek scholar I rely on those who are to tell me that the final question is really “will He find this kind of faith exemplified by the dogged persistence of the widow in the face of repeated rejections.”

My view is certainly not the only way to read this, but here it is. The unjust judge is not at all like our Father. Jesus makes that clear. When I read the parable I see the judge as my mind and will. It’s not God I need to convince to give me what He has promised. I must break through the reluctance of my human nature to receive it. I have always believed that persistent prayer is more for my benefit than based on any need to change the mind of God. I pray in order to have “the mind of Christ”. “Be transformed,” it says, “by the renewing of your mind.” Prayer and meditation tune my mind to the Spirit’s frequency.

Paul says in I Corinthians 2:12, “Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, in order to know what has been freely given to us by God.” The trouble is we have a lot to overcome. All that is in and of the world argues against the efficacy of prayer. Our pride, our senses, our carnal, rational minds, our education and training resist the grace of God. By contrast the widow – our spirit – seems small, weak and alone. All she has is determination. But the Lord says that is enough.

The inheritance is rightfully ours. No one can justly deny it to us. The price has been fully paid – not by us but by Christ. The only thing between me and all that God has for me is an arrogant, pigheaded judge – my own will clinging to my own God-denying direction. All I have to do is reject the adversary’s claim and agree with the widow.

Earlier in Luke’s Gospel Jesus tells us to “ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find; knock and the door shall be opened.” It is more like “ask and keep on asking ... seek and keep on seeking ... knock and keep on knocking.” Too often I find myself assessing the lack of change. I have prayed and nothing, I think, has happened, and I conclude nothing is meant to happen. Instead of keeping on, I go with my false humility and try to do something on my own instead of knocking and knocking until I have pushed beyond all concern with propriety to a true humility -- until I can accept what God wants to freely give.

Prayer is difficult not because of God’s reluctance, but because of mine.