Peace To The Weary

 Our Bible reading for this offering of Peace, comes from Luke 18: 1 – 8

Jesus is teaching His disciples then and now, that the temptation to give up in prayer must never be entertained. We forfeit the Lord’s Peace, which comes with prayer. Hear this parable again and this time, may we all receive release and peace from it.

You have been asking God to do something about your present, persistent problem, but you are becoming weary with asking. You have no peace of mind and heart, as your very asking is now becoming a problem.  

Get this picture of the woman in this parable. She has an adversary that is tormenting, tantalizing and torturing her. She has been relentless in asking the judge, the one person able to help her gain release and peace from that which is making her life a living hell. 

Are you like this woman? Are you a person, living with a joy-taking and peace stealing problem that torments you? You have prayed, begged, cried, pleaded with the Lord about it, yet it continues to get worse and plague you, so that peace and rest are eluding you. As daily, you experience less and less peace, you become more and more weary. Don’t be fooled, your weariness comes because you are becoming heavy, too heavy, with this going backwards and forwards in prayer. You are drained, tired and unable to keep that energy in prayer. You are waning in faith and trust, not because you do not believe in God, but because your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual energy, are all being weakened. There is just no peace of mind for you, and your spiritual zeal is weakening fast. You need to admit some truths about yourself and your praying, as you have been asking God for that which will bring you relief and peace.  

The first thing to admit is that you are becoming weary in your Praying. You are not saying that God does not answer your requests, nor are you saying that He does not care, but what you are saying is that you are becoming increasingly weary in asking, as peace is far from you. You are receiving no peace, from your praying.

The second thing to admit is that you are becoming weary in your Waiting.  Your problem now is that time for you is not coming on. Nothing is taking place to give you any peace or relief and release, as for you, time is dragging its feet. Waiting time for you, waiting without any changes, really drags you down. You are receiving no peace, from your waiting.

The third thing to admit is that you are becoming weary in your Expecting.  You have been asking and waiting, for you have been asking day in and day out.  But alas, there is no response that impacts your situation. All you receive is the despair and disappointment of waiting, expecting and receiving nothing, not even a little peace of mind. You are receiving no peace, from your expecting. 

The fourth thing to admit is that you are becoming weary in your Returning. You are so weary with asking and not receiving, that you do not have the zeal or energy to return to praying. Your weariness is making you a bit sceptical. You no longer have the drive to want to ask anymore. You are so void of peace in your very soul, you become totally drained at this point. All that you are receiving is weariness and it is affecting you physically, emotionally and spiritually. You are receiving no peace, from your returning. 

Returning to the parable, Jesus tells of this judge who has no fear of God and no care of people. Compare this judge, who is the only one with power and authority to help the one in need, with your Judge, the only One with the Power and Authority to help you, in your situation.

The judge is an uncaring judge, but the Lord is a caring Judge. Does this not cover you with God’s Peace? 

The one in need is nothing to the judge, but a person living in his jurisdiction. God calls you His chosen one, because you are His child, in His jurisdiction. Does this not surround you with God’s Peace? 

This judge does not really care about the person, nor her troubles. However, your God cares about you and everything that troubles you and keeps you from enjoying the life He has promised. Does this not clothe you with God’s Peace? 

The judge never will dream of telling that widow to call him father, or friend even. Your God tells you to call Him Father and Jesus says that you are no longer servants, but friends. Does this not drape you in God’s Peace? 

The judge keeps putting this asking woman off, and does not give her justice quickly. He waits and waits, not concerned about her at all and all that the adversary is doing to her. Jesus is quite clear in saying that God will see that those who come to Him will get justice and get it quickly. Does this not hedge you around with God’s Peace? 

The judge helps the asking one, but for selfish reasons. He does not want to be wearied out by her persistence. Our Lord helps His children because of His selfless Love. No one is too heavy for Him, nor can He be wearied by them calling Him all the time. Does this not encircle you with God’s Peace? 

Believers, all I know is that Jesus is telling us that we must never be weary in asking God for that which will give us peace.  He knows what humans are like and how very weary we can become in prayer. We are being drawn, through this parable, to a God who cares about us and will bring us His Peace, and give it to us quickly. God is not a God to keep putting His children off. Compare Him with the judge and see that even with one so crude and callous, the woman received what she asked for.  Will not the Father give to you the peace you so desperately seek? When all you need is peace from the adversary; when you are being tormented day in and day out with no sight of relief, keep praying.  Ever keep in mind that the woman received her peace from one who was uncaring and harsh.  And will not our God and Father, give you His peace?     

Lord, please teach us how to pray and never give up that we may know Your unsurpassed peace.  We are weary Lord and so we really do need Your help to keep persevering.  Amen!