God's Timing, Not Ours [5-3-26]

May 3, 2026

Luke 18:1-18

“God’s Timing, Not Ours”

What do you pray for? What themes pop-up in your prayer life? Who do you pray for? Do you only pray when you need something? Do you turn to prayer when things go wrong? If you are a Christian living in Iran, what are you praying for? If you are a student approaching the end of the school year, what are you praying for? What occupies your prayer time as you prepare for a wedding? What do you pray for your children? What do you pray about when you’re frustrated at work?

You can begin to see how this works. Do you pray to draw closer to God? Do you pray to be more in tune with His plan and purpose for your life? Do you pray for calm when things don’t go as planned? Do you pray when things don’t turn out as planned?

Here in Luke 18, we’re going to see a couple of plot twists that are unique to Luke. Luke is a faithful reporter of how Jesus turns things on their head.

I like the word counterintuitive. Also, subversive would apply.

In the next two weeks, we’re going to see two major declarations from Jesus:

God answers the prayers of the saints.

God answers the prayers of sinners.

Related to both points about prayer is the biggest picture of all:

OUR MOST FERVENT PRAYER OUGHT TO BE FOR THE LORD TO COME AND SET THINGS RIGHT.

As we’ll see in verse seven, God will set things right. We simply have to be patient. Here’s how 2 Peter 3:8-9 captures it:

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

In other words, God is patient in bringing the end. But it’s all according to His timetable. The Lord wants all to come to repentance. So He gives us time. How encouraging is that?

Thus encouraged, let’s now look at Luke 18:1-8:

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of

Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Before we get to the rich hyperbole of today’s passage, let’s consider our context today. Meaning, what life is like for us right now.

How many of you have cut down on your consumption of news? It’s not that people and culture and the world has gotten worst. It’s simply we hear more of it and more frequently. Human nature is fallen, broken, and, in some instances, unfixable. Times continue to be troubling…only difference is in the technology. Crime…violence…economic challenges…toxic family members…illness…I could say more, but I’m starting to depress myself. You get the picture. Tough times are part of life. As Charles Spurgeon once profoundly put it:

“There is hardship in everything except eating pancakes.”

{We could update that, just for today, to there is hardship in everything except eating tacos.}

Spurgeon also encourages us with this:

“We have plenty of troubles and trials, and if we like to fret over them, we can always do that; but, then, we have far more joys than troubles, so our songs should exceed our sighs. We have a good God, who has promised that, as our days, so shall our

strength be.”

Jesus strengthens us. Jesus encourages us. Jesus gives us perseverance even when injustice and troubles abound. We are not disheartened. And so we have patience until Jesus either returns or calls us home.

So let’s backtrack from that conclusion, and see how the parable of the persistent widow gets us there.

What does Jesus recognize right off the bat? That we can be impatient people. We want God to meet our immediate needs. Immediately. Remember what occupies our prayers. We can grow weary during hardship. Paul addresses the reality of life in 2 Corinthians 4:7-10:

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies.”

Paul is simply building on what Jesus says in Luke 18. Don’t let life get you down.

Next comes the embodiment of all that is difficult and challenging in life. Enter the fictional person of the judge. Jesus bases him on the worst of the worst of a person in his position. He is the embodiment of wickedness. He neither has nor wants anything to do with God. Today, we might call him an urban elite. He gives no thought to even the possibility of God.

That’s the judge Jesus is talking about. Wealthy. Progressive. Cares about no one but himself. His wickedness is toxic. He’s that family member everyone dreads seeing at the holidays. As Jesus tells us in verse four… though I neither fear God nor respect man…he knows he’s a jerk and he’s comfortable with it. He’s like those people who say, “I say what’s on my mind, and if you don’t like it, too bad.” We all know people like that. How hard is it to be kind? How hard is it to be a decent human being?

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. captured it beautifully when he recently wrote:

“Today, treat people with love.

A smile, kind word, or simple ‘thank you’ can lighten someone’s load.

You never know what they’re carrying.

Be the reason someone feels seen and valued today.

It costs nothing!”

The judge cannot and will not do that. He is a horrible human being. He will not give orphans and widows the time of day.

Next up is the woman. She’s got nobody. No children. No support network. A woman with no husband or children is the most vulnerable of the vulnerable. All she has is perseverance. And a loud voice. We all understand that sometimes some women can have shrill voices, right? It is a common thing in Jesus’ day. Sometimes, in certain circumstances, decorum and decency are suspended. For our widow, this is the rule, not the exception.

While grocery shopping at Meijer a few weeks ago, we heard a toddler

crying. She was throwing a fit. Her mom told her that she had already gotten her enough. She was drawing the line. The little girl then said, through her sobs, “But I’m crying…” We kinda figured crying was a common strategy that usually worked.

That’s the strategy our widow employs.

And then we come to the pivotal point when the judge proclaims, “This

widow beats me down by her continual coming.” That means exactly what

you think it means. Jesus is using terminology directly referencing a boxing match. Picture blow after blow that batters the face and body. She is relentless in the pursuit of getting what she needs.

So, knowing our challenges in life today…knowing the players in this parable…what is the point?

Remember the role of hyperbole. It is exaggeration to make a point. And

what a point Jesus makes. He’s not saying if you pester God enough you’ll get whatever you want. No…no…no. Jesus is saying that if a big jerk of a judge will eventually relent to a persistent widow, how much more will our Father in heaven, who loves us with immeasurable grace and mercy – how

much more will He bless our lives?

Here’s something you might want to write down:

WEARINESS IS NEXT TO UNGODLINESS.

Do not grow weary in coming to God is prayer. Pray without ceasing. Pray

with the expectation that God will give you what He knows you need. Here’s the reality of what Jesus is teaching:

FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST MUST ENDURE TILL THE END.

FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST CAN ONLY ENDURE THROUGH PRAYER.

PRAYER FEEDS FAITH.

PRAYER LIFTS UP DROOPING HANDS.

PRAYER STRENGTHENS WEAK KNEES.

Amen?

Like the persistent widow, we will remain faithfully hopeful and joyful until

Jesus either returns or calls us home. We won’t give up. We won’t give in. Nothing can steal our joy. Nothing can drive us to or keep us locked in despondency. We are forever joyful and hopeful because we know our Savior. And we know he has already made a plan for us to be in his presence forever.

Let’s close with these wonderful words from one of my wife’s favorite

songs, “Come Jesus Come,” by CeCe Winans:

Sometimes I fall to my knees and pray

Come, Jesus, come

Let today be the day

Sometimes I feel like I'm gonna break

But I'm holding on

To a hope that won't fade

Come, Jesus, come

We've been waiting so long

For the day You return

To heal every hurt and right every wrong

We need You right now

Come and turn this around

Deep down I know this world isn't home

Come, Jesus, come

He'll come for the weak

And the strong just the same

And all will believe in the power of His name

Come, Jesus, come

One day He'll come

And we'll stand face to face

Come and lay it all down

'Cause it might be today

The time is right now

There's no need to wait

Your past will be washed by rivers of grace

Come, Jesus, come

We've been waiting so long

For the day You return

To heal every hurt and right every wrong

Deep down I know this world isn't home

Come, Jesus, come

As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 16, and now the people of Covenant Church affirm:

MARANATHA – Our Lord, Come!