Luke 18:7-8, “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.”
God does not have office hours. He is our Father whom we can run to day or night. Neither does He tire of your groaning, for He loves His children. Neither is He ever too busy for you, for omnipresence means He has no limits. Thus, be like the persistent widow in this parable. The point is that God is not like the unrighteous judge, for He is eager to hear our cries and is swift in His justice. Yet we must remain persistent in our prayer, for although God’s justice is swift, it is nevertheless in God’s own timing, who exists outside of time.
Persistent prayer is not impatient or forceful, but hopeful and trusting in who God is. Luther encourages, “When the situation is hopeless and all plans and efforts are in vain, then be courageous, and beware of giving up; for God calls all things from the dead and from nothing” (Lectures on Genesis, LW 4:361-362).
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