Jesus’ parables, as earthly stories with heavenly meaning, are intended to teach or convey a renewing concept through descriptive language, enabling hearers to learn a specific lesson or point. The parable of the Persistent Woman as an earthly story with heavenly meaning is placed in the context of Jesus explaining the nature of the kingdom of God, shaped by persistent prayer and His eventual return. Prayer is a blood-bought privilege for every son and daughter of God. Persistent prayer and faith go together. Beloved do not be deceived. Jesus is coming again.

Jesus is concerned that His followers learn to be consistent and diligent in prayer so they can fully accomplish God’s plans and purposes for their lives on earth and in heaven. A needy widow, a model of faith for believers between Jesus’ First and Second Comings, repeatedly comes before the judge to plead her case. The Jewish law provided widows with special protection under the justice system, but the unjust judge ignored the poor widow (Deut. 10:18; 24:17 – 21). Here is an unjust judge, he does not fear God, he does not care about people, he does not regard man; and here is this poor and needy widow who needs justice against her legal adversary, her legal opponent. The needy widow refuses to give up. The persistent widow, as a model of believers, tells us that we are needy, dependent sinners who trust in the gracious, loving, and merciful God alone to supply our needs. Sadly, Satan does not want or like anyone save.

The unjust judge is not a reference to God, as if we had to beg Him for justice. Jesus wants His disciples to contrast the nature of the judge against the tender, faithful nature of God. Jesus is just making a point about faith and persistence in prayer. As a model of believers between Jesus’ First and Second Comings, the persistent widow teaches us that prayer is our means of communicating our concerns to God; we must keep praying about all things until Jesus returns (Lk 18:7-8).

Jesus’ parable of the persistent widow calls us to steadfastness in prayer, showing our faith and trust in God until Jesus returns to take us home. Jesus’ parable reminds us that, in the final days before Jesus Christ’s return, there will be increased satanic and demonic opposition to the prayers of God’s faithful people (1Tim 4:1). The persistent widow as model of believers between the First and Second Comings of Jesus Christ tells us we must resist the urge to quit praying because Satan’s will continue his schemes and entice us with the pleasures of this world.

The persistent widow, as a model for believers today, is the ‘Elect,’ who ‘… cry day and night’ in prayer to God. The Good News is that, if the unjust judge who is not godly will respond to someone who continues to plead with him or her, God will respond to His devoted followers who continually pray for God’s purposes to prevail on earth and for Jesus Christ to return to destroy Satan’s power and the evil world system. Until Jesus Christ returns, the persistent widow serves as a model for us, as followers of Christ, to participate in His mission through prayer.

The kingdom of God is spiritually present now in the hearts of believers, like the persistent woman. The full, physical establishment of the kingdom will happen when Jesus returns. Jesus’ parable of the persistent widow is about how believers should live and act between Jesus’ first and second comings—specifically, with persistent faith and prayer. At the same time, we wait for God to bring about ultimate justice. Against all odds, the persistent widow, a model of believers, reminds us that faithful prayer is not about instant results. It is about trust, persistence, and relationship.  Faithful, never-ceasing, persistent prayer as the permanent calling of every true disciple of Jesus Christ is not without a promise. God promised that He will “avenge them speedily” (Lk 18:8). The more time we spend with God in prayer, the more we get to know Him better, most importantly in the difficult days ahead. The Good News is that, when Jesus returns for those “who cry day and night,” He will put an end to the distress and suffering we witnessed and endured in a wicked and hostile world. Jesus linked finding faith on earth directly with the persistent prayer of the widow, a model of believers between Jesus’ First and Second Comings.

The reflection is that, as Jesus Christ’s return draws nearer, every Christian should continue to ask, Am I showing my faith through continued prayer about everything? The persistent widow, as a model of believers between Jesus’ First and Second Comings, summons us to live for and look for His return, praying without ceasing (Rev 19-22). Let us prayerfully sing one of the hymns by John Newton on prayer:

Approach, my soul, the mercy seat
Where Jesus answers prayer;
There humbly fall before his feet,
For none can perish there.

Thy promise is my only plea;
With this I venture nigh.
Thou callest burdened souls to thee,
And such, O Lord, am I.

Bowed down beneath a load of sin,
By Satan sorely pressed,
By war without and fears within,
I come to thee for rest.

Be thou my shield and hiding place
That, sheltered near thy side,
I may my fierce accuser face
And tell him thou hast died.

O wondrous love, to bleed and die,
To bear the cross and shame,
That guilty sinners such as I
Might plead thy gracious name!