Ask Boldly

This parable makes me laugh. I can imagine God working hard to care for the planet, heal people, feed the hungry, and exalt the lowly. And here I come, bugging God for an answer to a question, a solution to a problem, an A on a test, or a raise from a boss. I keep coming at God and coming at God, and then God rolls eyes, smirks, and then gives me the attention my 3-year-old self has demanded. Like any parent that is patient and loving, God delights in knowing God has provided for God's children when they needed God the most.

Truth be told, I am not as persistent as this story's widow. I have been taught not to need, not to ask for what I need. But God says, yes, ask away. And ask persistently. Because God does want to be more attentive and diligent than the story's judge who does not care for the widow, but responds because of her persistence nonetheless. That doesn't mean God will give me what I want if I just bug God long enough. It means God is inviting us to approach (not too common for gods of Jesus' day), and ask boldly for what we need, and bring all things to God. There is nothing God will not hear.

Narrative Lectionary Text: Luke 18:1-8

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”