DON'T LOSE HEART--- Day 28 Saturday, March 20 2010

Day 28 Saturday March 20 2010

TODAY’S INTRO
We are exposed to photography, artwork, paintings throughout our lives. Some works of art inspire us. Others leave us indifferent. The point is simple- we look at some art and say, “I like that”. We are drawn to it for some reason. Other works of art leave us saying, “I don’t like that picture”. I’m not real keen on the picture Jesus paints today but. . .I have learned that beauty is often not seen at first glance.

TODAY’S TEXT- Luke 18
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ 4For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’” 6And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? 8I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

TODAY’S STATUS UPDATES
Our text today is brief but one that is worthy of a whole sermon and extensive research.

What I like about it is the Lukan addition at the very beginning which reminds us to pray and not lose heart. The people of God are called to be faithful, to hang in there despite obstacles, and to believe that with God- “all things are possible”. That isn’t a passive naivete but an active asking for God to bring a “new day”, a “brighter day”, a day of hope realized.

The widow is persistent. She is not willing to say this is “God’s will” and sit back and wait. She communicates. She states her need over and over and over again. She reminds me that faith demonstrated is continually turning to the one who has the power to bring about change.

Faith is shown in “returning to our sender” over and over again- in times of joy and, as the widow shows us, in our times of need.


NOTES
We are a mere two weeks from Easter. Our devotions through Luke will finish right around Easter.

On Monday, April 5 we will start walking through Luke’s 2nd edition, the Book of Acts.