Luke 18:1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

This is an extremely important counterpoint to Jesus’ repeated teaching on faith. His various remarks about “faith as small as a mustard seed” (Matthew 17:20. Luke 17:6) and the like can easily give us complexes about the worthlessness of our own faith. The parable that follows this verse is more explicit than most, because Jesus explains it immediately, without having to be asked to do so. In recent years Americans have become more familiar with “unjust judges” than we would like to be, but in some countries that’s par for the course. Regardless, Jesus’ point is persistence. We need to keep trusting God regardless of what our senses and intellect are telling us. We tend to “figure things out” and predict in our mind how things are going to be, and Jesus is saying not to do that. Rather, we are to keep trusting God, letting go of our scheduling demands. The better we know God and His character, the less anxious we will be.  After all, as Paul said, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) We are back to Jesus’ famous words about priorities: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) We won’t see the fulfillment of God’s kingdom on this earth while we are in this life, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be manifested at all, and it certainly doesn’t mean we aren’t to keep praying for it.

As I have written before, my parents went to their reward without seeing the massive revival in Japan for which they prayed and labored, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t coming, or that their prayers and labors had no effect. I am in that same specific struggle, and I too am not to give up. Sometimes I wish I knew God’s timetable, but at other times I realize it’s good that I don’t. I’m to keep ministering as though the next person I talk to were going to be the trigger that brings revival, because they might be. I am to recognize without shame that I cannot bring it about in my own strength and wisdom, but at the same time remember that absolutely nothing is impossible for God. His strength and wisdom are literally in a much higher dimension than mine! I am to focus on daily faithfulness, trusting God to do what is best on His schedule, not trying to dictate to Him but asking, seeking, and knocking without giving up, so that I may somehow be useful to Him in accomplishing His will for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I’m very aware of schedules at the moment, since today I have my last Speech Therapy classes before my retirement at the end of this school year. You know my emotional involvement with that, and You also know what impact I have had on my students over the years, far better than I do. I pray that their memories of me would draw them to You, causing them to become Your disciples indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!