Keep On Keeping On
Opening Prayer
Quiet your heart and mind now. Give God your full attention and pray a brief prayer of worship.
Read Luke 18:1-8
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
[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 what people thought. [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 what people think, [5] yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!'” [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?” Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What do you think Jesus is teaching about God here?Any parent knows how irritatingly persistent children can be when they want something. Most of us have at some point given in, for the sake of a quiet life, rather like the judge in this story Jesus tells. Fortunately, the way God deals with us is not the same way as the judge deals with the woman. God is always ready to hear us and respond to us, and when we pray for justice, we are getting close to his heart. But as he always sees the whole picture, sometimes his answer to our request is not “yes” but “no” or “not yet” which can be hard to take. Persistence in prayer is clearly a good thing, however. The point isn’t to wear God down so that he’ll change his mind and give us what we want. We are to keep on praying because the more we do, the more we learn to be open to God and the more we learn to want what he wants. Persistent, consistent prayer is one of the habits of true Christian discipleship.
Apply
How much a part of your life is prayer? Try making regular daily tasks, such as showering or cooking, a prompt to pray.
Closing prayer
Lord, I’m grateful that You hear my prayers and lovingly respond to them. Teach me to be better at prayer.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2025 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Discovery is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.