In the face of a Sovereign God, one might be led to ask the question, if God's Will is perfect and irresistible, then why should we pray? What is the value of prayer if it does not move God on the one hand or impact the outcome of circumstances on the other? This is a valid question within the context of human logic. Yet the issue is greater than human logic can encompass. The Scriptures record the following instance in which Jesus relates a parable to His disciples so that they might know
1b "that men always ought to pray and not lose heart." Luke 18:1-8 2 "saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’” 6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
Looking at this passage of scripture taken from the New King James Version, it is clear what God means when He tells us that "people always ought to pray and never give up." The woman in the parable is clearly persistent in her petition to the "unjust judge". She could only be persistent because of her belief in her cause. She believed so completely that she was relentless in her petition to the judge. The woman's belief and actions in support of her belief are evidence of her deep Faith. The judge was not responding to her petition, he was responding to her FAITH.
Prayers Prayed without expectation have no power. James 1:6-9
Why PRAY? The answer is clear by virtue of the Biblical record; we pray because it is the vehicle by which we communicate our Faith. What is also evident in this parable is that Faith is your action taken in the direction of your solution and must be directed only to the one who has the power to accomplish the solution on your behalf.
In verse 7 Jesus says,
"7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
The evidence of Faith is found in a person's prayer life. We say that we have Faith, but it is not found in our acts of worship, but in our acts of Prayer when we seek the Face of God. When we isolate ourselves from the world with its distractions and kneel in solitude and Faith before God; then rise and go to the place we expect our prayers to be answered.
The woman in the parable is an example of a life empowered by prayer. Her prayer is focused, purposeful, persistent, and passionate. What she was pursuing was deeply believed and therefore she was committed to pursuing it even in the face of constant disappointment, rejection, and objections. When was the last time you pursued anything with the same focus, passion, purpose, and persistence that we see demonstrated in the woman?
We must ask ourselves a question considering this woman's passion for justice, when was it that I asked the Father with the same intent, purpose, expectation and passion for anything that is seen in the woman. When have you pursued anything with a dogged determined faith? Jesus interjects a challenging question at the end of this parable, one which identifies the substance of Prayer. He asks, "when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" If we use the example of this woman's Faith as a measuring stick, then many of us have failed to experience the real benefit and blessing of Prayer available to us through Faith.
Read: Luke 18:9-14 for another look at a life empowered by Prayer.