Don’t Forget to Pray!

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. Luke 18:1

Did you ever feel like just giving up on something you have been praying for? There are times I can’t even think of a single reason why God would want to listen to me when there are people with far greater needs and who have much more faith than me. And so Jesus knowing how easy wat is for us to give up praying told a story about a widow and a judge. This widow had a lot in common with most of us. She wasn’t well connected, rich or powerful and besides everything else, the only person she could turn to for help was a corrupt politician!

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In face of that most of us would have thrown in the towel, moved away or started complaining to our neighbors. But she wouldn’t quit. Instead, every morning she went down to the judge’s house and knocked on his door. She knew that he was not a good guy and that he didn’t want to help her out. But despite the odds she kept asking him, “I need a protection from abuse order from my enemies.!” Now some would not have wanted to keep bothering the judge. Maybe we would have tried to make friends with him first. But she decided that driving him crazy was the quickest way to get his attention just long enough so he would just do his job! And guess what? Despite all the odds the judge finally threw up his hands one morning shouting; “Oi vey! Alright already! I’ll give you what you want!”

Then Jesus reminds us that when we pray God is not like that judge at all. Instead God who is our judge is good! He wants to listen! God loves to answer our prayers. So why should we ever give up? Why should we should ever think He doesn’t care? God is listening and if we are faithful to knock on His door every morning He will answer us one day in ways far greater than we can ever imagine!

Don’t Forget to Pray by Peter Caligiuri © 2020 All rights reserved

Holy Week – Day 2

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. Luke 21:1-3 ESV

On this, His final day of public ministry, Jesus takes time to praise the offering of a widow. Among the crowds at the temple that day, she was probably considered the least important by most people. In fact few would have even noticed as she quietly slipped her two coins into the charity box. However everyone noticed the rich men as they carried in their gifts with great fanfare.  At the sound of their silver and gold coins clanking into the offering box people were oohing and aahing about how much they gave. But Jesus wasn’t impressed with money. He didn’t care about a big performance or false religiosity. He just waited quietly to see if anyone had come to give with all their heart.

Then just before Jesus went to prepare for His last meal with His disciples He gave us a simple insight about one widow. She had come with a pure heart and she had given all.

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Remembering Mom

Even when a nursing home is the best solution for Mom; Mother’s Day can be a time when they need an extra special dose of hope. This year one conservative estimate is that there are roughly 700,000 mothers who will have no one to stop in to see them. Why not consider using this as an opportunity to buy a few extra cookies; flowers or small  gifts that just say; we remember you? Tell them by your presence that they matter to both to you and to God. 

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. James 1:27 NLT

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