March 25 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Luke 18:1-8:

¹And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
²Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
³And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
⁴And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
⁵Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
⁶And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
⁷And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
⁸I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Devotional

The unrighteous judge, who feared neither God nor man and who did not wish to hear the petitions of the aggrieved widow, finally determined to perform justice for her lest by her continual coming she wear him out. Vigorously and emphatically, by contrast, our Lord sets over against the unjust judge none other than God. Shall not the God, who is holy, just, and good, whose will is perfect, and who works all things for His own glory, not be responsive to prayer? Shall not He grant the pleas of His elect - His elect who, unlike the widow, may expect a favorable hearing? They are God's chosen. He loves them. He has provided redemption for them. His promises are theirs. He has called upon them to pray. If the unjust judge finally heard the widow who kept coming to him, will not God hearken to the prayers of His own elect who cry day and night unto Him?

With good reason God may not answer the prayers of His people immediately. But God's justice and mercy will prevail. "I tell you," our Lord declares, "that he will avenge them speedily." What more encouragement than this could we possibly need "always to pray, and not to faint?"

Welcome to "Think on These Things," a twelve-week daily devotional prepared by the late Dr. John H. Skilton, an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and for many years Chairman of the New Testament Department at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia.

We are indebted to P & R Publishing and Skilton House Ministries for permission to use this copyrighted material on the OPC Web site. (P & R held the copyright from 1975 to 2005, at which time they reassigned the copyright to Skilton House.)