Luke 18:1-8
1 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3 In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ 4 For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’”
6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? 8 I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
God's Justice, Will and Timing
Jesus continues to teach by using parables. This time He uses a social case that has been around for all time. It's related to justice, to those who seek justice and those responsible for its implementation.
This parable of a widow asking a judge to do her justice is defying time and negligence. She is determined, perseverant and persistant in her quest to get her rights.
The judge seems to act against Biblical ordinance, against his job and against his own conscience, especially when dealing with a widow who deserves charity. Deuteronomy 14:28-29 and 24:19-21 offer agricultural provisions for widows. Above all and most importantly, Deuteronomy 27:19 gives widows legal protection from injustice.
The widow's perseverance and persistence bother the judge, so he agrees to her request in order that she would not continue bothering him. If this judge ends by responding to the just quest, despite ignoring the widow's request for a long time, how much more so will God, our just and loving Father, who knows what is best for His children, not respond to prayers of faith and trust?
A faithful prayer expects God's mercy with full trust in His will and His timing, just as He taught us how to pray and as He prayed at the Gethsemane Garden, "May your will be done, not mine," and when you see that it is appropriate.
Never lose hope and continue to pray with trustful faith.
God is the first and last who wants justice to be respectfully practiced.
Your will and your timing, Lord!