Words of Advent: Rejoice

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” ~ Luke 18:1-8

We never know how God will answer our prayers, but we can expect that God will get us involved in (God’s) plan for the answer. If we are true intercessors, we must be ready to take part in God’s work on behalf of the people for whom we pray.” ~ Corrie ten Boom


Among other things, we can rejoice because we have a God who just might get tired of our constant nagging! :-)
OK, that's a little harsh. There are real issues in the world that we pray for. Issues that we should pray always for in fact, as Jesus points out.
And yet, how often do we get tired of waiting to see the results of our prayers?
How often to we wonder if God is listening?
How often to we look around and bemoan that things just aren't right?
Make no bones about it. In those times, we are praying. In these times, we are praying.
And we are being heard.
This time of year it is easy to perhaps confuse God with Santa Claus, and see our prayers as Santa's list.
Yet justice is the primary gift that God offers us this season.
Justice and Mercy.
Justice and Mercy and Salvation.
Justice and Mercy and Salvation.
And Love.
And as we pray constantly for those things ourselves, we are swept up in God's grand plan for the world. We become part of God's Kin-dom on earth. We get to be part of the very answer to prayers.
If a dishonest judge eventually caves because of nagging, how much more will the Ground of All Being reach out and give us reason to rejoice for being part of the great plan of love for this world?
How much more will God give us cause to rejoice?

Lord let me lips and my heart be in constant prayer. Amen.


Thoughts for engagement:

When is a time you felt God made you part of an answered prayer?

When is a time when you felt like you "nagged" God until you got an answer?

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