An opportunity arises before me. Nay, two. One I've already begun, with a goal of seeing it through for (almost) the next month. The other knocked on my door twice in one morning. I have some needed prep work to do before I jump full force. My answer must be "yes". I say that, knowing full well that my history has been littered with previous opportunities of different kinds where I said I was going to say yes and then didn't do it. That must change. For my sake and more importantly my love's sake, it must change.
Luke 18 popped in my Bible reading program on the same morning that the second opportunity knocked twice on my door. Although the entire chapter has six sections, again, two spoke to me loudly, almost as if shouting to say "the Lord hears you!"
1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”
6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
These two passages are like arrows to two distinct prayers/complaints in my heart. But faith is reading the Bible, including passages like the above, and believing that God will show up and do something about it. If the people I'm thinking about where I'm shouting/crying for justice (in my heart) don't repent, God will indeed deal with them. But, all the same, if I - even I myself - do not repent of my unbelief, then God will indeed deal with me, along with all the other sin I have. After all, I'm not the only one crying out for justice here.
I get the sense that the above passages are more likely to be preached from the pulpit at progressive churches rather than conservative ones. I haven't been a member of a progressive-leaning church in a while now, so I've lost touch with how they should go about preaching what they think God is saying. All I know is, this is still the Word of God, and it should be interpreted exactly as God says it should be. Which, in this case, was Jesus speaking, and because He is indeed God, He states exactly how these should be interpreted:
- Will we believe Him for all that He says and commands us to do, when He comes back to earth to reign?
and,
- Will we humble ourselves and not look down on others?
It's a popular thing among progressives to beat up on the Pharisees. But, any of us can be Pharisees if we're not careful, regardless of background or worldview. Instead, the Bible exhorts us not to harden our hearts but rather hold out to the end.
Galatians 6:9, NKJV And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Mark 13:13, NKJV And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
However, we do this by faith, believing that God can do all things including the impossible:
Luke 18:27, NKJV But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
This is all while knowing that faith in and of itself is a gift from God:
Ephesians 2:8, NKJV For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Luke 18:29-30, NKJV So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
There's so much more, but time is short. It's time to move on the aforementioned opportunities.