#disciplemaking
#adventcalendarday18
#willyoujoinme

Day 18, ¾ of the way through! (Join me in reading Luke chapter 18)

Have you ever noticed that it’s easy to speak about persistence when you don’t need be yourself? We can recognise it as a virtue but I suspect we’re all pretty glad when we’re not actually required to be. Why? Because it ‘stretches’ our faith – it tests whether we will still trust in God to deliver, even if we don’t get the answer we are looking for, exactly when we want it. But Jesus’ teaching on prayer is consistent through Luke’s gospel: “Ask and it will be given to you” (Luke 11:9); because of boldness (Luke 11:8) God will give as much as we need; and here in v5, even if it seems like we might be “bothering” God, we are encouraged to continue.

My experience this year, in a season of ‘waiting’ for new work, (which has so far stretched to eight months), has definitely been that God has not got sick of me! I have been impatient, grumpy and frustrated, sometimes even fearful but God has not let me down. There has been financial provision when it seemed there wouldn’t be and there have been encouragements at just the right time through phone calls from random friends I hadn’t spoken to in years or even running into friends in the most unexpected places. I have built up a reservoir of trust in God’s exquisite care and timing. It’s not the end of my waiting yet, so my prayers continue to be pretty simple, “Lord, I need a new job! Can you please open a door today? Thank you for your provision so far, please continue to meet our needs? Thank you for my friends and family who care for me. Help me to keep trusting in you.” Or words to that effect. And my overwhelming sense is constantly that God is saying, “Ian, it’s not a bother, I’ve got this, hang-in there.”

The next section of our reading makes clear, again, that it is the unexpected who will be honoured in God’s kingdom. Sinners (tax-collectors) and those not thought highly of (children) who humbly approach God will be welcomed into his Kingdom. But those who trust in their own means (keeping the law – righteousness – or wealth) will not be able to enter. Why? Because they are self-sufficient; they don’t think they need to amend their ways, let alone trust in a saviour.

• Is there something in which you need to trust in God for today? Have you asked him again & again? What might he be saying to you? How might God be calling you to stretch your faith?
• Do you ever feel unworthy to be loved and accepted by God? What might God be saying to you about that?

I notice that Luke records Jesus’ prophetic words about his death and resurrection; quickly followed by yet another miraculous healing.

• How has God revealed himself to you in the past that helps give you faith for the future?