The Importunate Widow

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 18, 1866

The Importunate Widow.

A COMMENT ON LUKE XVIII, 1-8.

THE design of this parable is to inculcate perseverance in prayer, though it should long appear to be unanswered. And, blessed be God! that though it be difficult to gain audience with the sovereigns of this world, none are debarred an audience with the King of kings. The poorest and the most abject are invited, and are welcome. And no such preparations are necessary to be acceptable to him as are required at earthly courts. No court dress, no equipage, and no forms and ceremonies. And, then, the interview with the earthly monarch is generally short; a few minutes only; and if a petition be prepared, may be you will not be allowed time to present it, and if you fail to secure the ear of royalty on the first application, a second opportunity is not likely to be offered.

True, there is a preparation, a needful and important preparation, on the part of him who would find audience with God; but it is not of the exterior, but of the heart. The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite spirit. He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Nor is there simply a single audience chamber where God may be sought; but he invites us to the closet, to the grove, to the mountain. We may make a temple of any spot in the wide realm of nature, and God is there, and our requests may be made to him, may be renewed, may be urged, and if not granted, we may come again and again. We may prolong the interview, claiming his promises; for he has said, Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

The widow makes application to an earthly judge to avenge her of her adversary; that is, to see justice done her in a case which she specifies. This, by virtue of his office, he is bound to do. This is his business. But he neglects to attend to her case. He is without principle and devoid of humanity. He fears neither God nor man. What shall she do? She has no friends whom she can enlist in her cause, and no means by which to employ an advocate. What can she do? She has one expedient, and but one. She may perhaps weary him by her importunity. This she tries. And day after day, therefore, she presents herself before him, saying, Avenge me of my adversary. And every succeeding day she becomes more importunate. Meanwhile his indifference continues. Nay, it strengthens, perhaps rises to positive prejudice and hostility. Still she pursues him. And while she sees no great reason to hope, he sees no prospect of rest. At length she triumphs. She fairly wearies him out, and simply to save himself trouble growing out of her importunity, he hears her case and does her justice. Thus under her most hopeless-circumstances her perseverance prevails, and the results here represented by our Lord in the parable before us, are very instructive. Earnest desire constrains us to be importunate.

Let us attend to the application of the parable. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith, And shall not God avenge his own elect which cry unto him day and night, though he bear long with them? I tell you he will avenge them speedily. In every respect God is the very opposite of the unjust judge; and if it was not in vain to importune one who had no disposition to hear, will it be in vain to importune Him who is inclined to hear before we ask? The poor widow had no encouragement in the character of the judge to whom she appealed; but the child of God may rest assured that there is in Him to whom he makes suit, attributes of mercy and kindness, which may inspire him with the greatest confidence. God loves to bless. He delights to diffuse abroad his favors. The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion, long-suffering, and of great kindness. The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.

The widow had no promises to plead. The judge at no one interview gave her any intimation that he designed to attend to her case. But the believer has the assurance of his heavenly Father, that the seed of Jacob shall not seek his face in vain. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him; he also will bear their cry, and help them. The divine promises the child of God may spread out before him in all their number, richness, and power. He may urge them, press them with a fervency and importunity, which only the longing, unsatisfied, heart can understand.

The widow was in no wise related to the judge, and hence could plead no ties of affinity. But the believer is a child of God, an heir adopted into the family of God, bearing the divine image, and interested in the heavenly inheritance. Shall such a one not be heard? Nay, God cannot forget the children of his love. He has engraven them on the palms of his hands. They are dear to him as the apple of his eye. Not hear them? that is impossible. They are his elect sons and daughters. They are Christ's! They must be heard. True, God may bear long with them, i. e., he may for a season defer to answer them. He may for wise reasons try their faith and patience; but, in his own good time and way he will answer. Relief often comes when the believer is just ready to despair. The incumbent cloud, dark, thick, gloomy, suddenly breaks, and down comes the light harbinger of a day without clouds.

Finally the widow had no friend at hand to aid her in pleading her cause. But the believer has an advocate, an advocate with the Father, resident at court, there at all times to attend to his cause, never neglecting it, and never at a loss how to manage it. He ever liveth to make intercession for us.

And now, Christian friend, can you imagine circumstances more favorable than those in which you are placed to secure the blessings which you need? What more can you wish? Are you disheartened, afflicted, or in trouble? The remedy, the way to brighter days, to all desirable success, is before you. Pray more. Do you say that you have prayed? Well, pray more still. Pray on, pray always, and never faint; for while the words of Jesus stand unrevolved men should always pray and never faint, the warrant is good and the prospect fair.

“Prayer makes the darkest cloud withdraw, Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw, Gives exercise to faith and love, Brings every blessing form above.”

—Selected for Review.