Title: What Will Jesus Find?/ Topic: Persevering Prayer

Today’s Reading: Esther 3; Esther 4; Esther 5; Esther 6; Esther 7; Esther 8; Luke 18

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' 4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' " 6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

Observation: After a parable that encourages us to pray faithfully until we see the answers come, Jesus asks a poignant question. He wonders if, when he returns, he will find faith on the earth. It's a good question. It's not a question about whether anyone will believe in him; it's a question about whether there will be anyone with faith enough to "pray through" until the answer comes. The question is tied to the point of the parable.

Application: In our day of short attention spans that are getting shorter all the time due to high-speed technologies, we all need to ask ourselves, "Am I losing the desire and ability to spend times of quiet solitude with God? Do I have a desire to keep praying about anything until I see the answer come?". I know I need to personally grow in this area. This is the most difficult of the spiritual disciplines for me. This is God's reminder to me that I need to work on this.

Prayer: Father, I need help! I need not only the discipline but the "want to" to sit at your feet in prayer faithfully. Help me to have perseverance and a listening ear. I want to be one of those who you find to be faithful when you return. I love you Lord.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.