Following Jesus’ discourse in Luke 17 on the signs of the coming of the kingdom, Chapter 18 begins with the Parable of the Persistent Widow. Jesus explains in verse one why He is telling them that parable. “He then told a parable on the need to pray always and not become discouraged.”
The widow in the parable was tenacious in her request for justice. She kept coming to an “unjust” judge until he became tired of her persistence and granted her request. By comparison, Jesus reminded His listeners that when they are persistent in their prayer to cry out to our “just” God, He is swift to respond.
“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.” [vs 7-8a HCSB]
It is, however, how He ends the parable that caught my attention. “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find that faith on the earth?” [vs 8b HCSB]
That question really takes us back to the signs of the coming of the kingdom that ends Chapter 17. That is a time of difficulties, struggles, and distress as was found in the times of Noah and of Lot. It is a time of apostasy when the faith of many will grow cold.
When that time comes, will the LORD Jesus find the kind of faith possessed by that widow? The way the question is phrased, it suggests that on a broad scale, the answer is “no.”
However, God has always had a remnant who are true to Him. While we wait for His return, each one of us should be stirred to develop the kind of faith that cries out to God night and day.
LORD, help us to be persistent in our praying and tenacious in our faith. Amen.
