There are two ways of being steadfast in prayer. Some people are consistent all their lives in their unrelenting prayers, no matter the circumstances or answer. Other people pray steadfastly over time, never giving up
The second way of praying steadfastly is when we pray for the same thing over weeks, months, years, even decades, even when we see little or no change. We persist in those prayers, the same request, much like the parables told by Jesus in Luke 11 and Luke 18. In this article, I have this latter type of steadfast prayer in mind although I have both in view. The parables are supposed to tell us something about this kind of prayer, so what is the connection between constant persistent prayer and these parables?
In Luke 11:5-8, Jesus tells his disciples the story of the ‘friend at midnight.’ ‘Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.” And suppose the one inside answers, “Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.” I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.’
A bit further on in Luke 18:1-5 we find another story similar to this. entitled ‘The Parable of the Persistent Widow.’ Luke begins, ‘Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.’ These are two stories about steadfast prayer: the shamelessly audacious man who keeps knocking at his neighbour’s door and the bothersome widow who pesters the unjust judge.
