How can we lose heart?

Gordon Kennedy October 16, 2022 0 0

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Luke 18: 1–8 (NRSVA)

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

Injustice is like a huge rock strapped to our back. At any moment it threatens to crush us; bowed down we cannot see the road ahead, only the step before us. Of course we will lose heart, is it not cruel to casually say “don’t lose heart”?

PRAYER:

Father, your words sound harsh to our ears.

If we could we would achieve justice for ourselves,

But our best efforts fall short of your deep justice.

Father, it appears to us that you are a do–nothing God.

We struggle under the burden of injustice, we gasp for another breath, we stagger to take another step, and you watch us.

Father, where are you?

Our adversary is always before us, injustice is a constant companion.

Where are you?

    I lift up my eyes, where does my help come from?

    I look to the cross and see your judgement upon injustice.

Father, you hang suspended in the place of every injustice,

You see the hope crushing burden,

You have acted in Jesus, strengthen us to cling to him.

Father, you rush towards us, impatient for us and our salvation.

You turn the world upside down to achieve justice for all creation.

You have come close to us in Christ Jesus, draw us ever closer to him.

Father, soothe our distressed ears with your words of grace,

You promise us that the judge of all the earth will do what is right.

You speak the word which Jesus is into our bowed down lives, keep hold of us that we may persevere in Christ. Amen.