CSI of Faith - Luke 18:1-8 Part Two
What sustains this widow as she persists in her multiple appeals for
justice? The parable teaches us “to
always pray and never give up.” This
woman personifies perseverance. I
speculate that the Holy Spirit gives her the fortitude to “keep on keeping on”
until she receives a just outcome. I
surmise that the judge probably says to himself, “This woman simply will not go
away! I wish she would just accept my
rulings and leave me alone.” Actually, I
think that he may use language that I cannot repeat. Nevertheless, the widow’s fortitude coerces
the judge to give her what she wants. We
do not know whether the merits of her case and her side of the arguments are
the most reasonable and just. But, we do
know that her ability to keep returning to court ultimately yields her victory. Yet, I posit that she actualizes the power of
the Holy Spirit each time she shows up for another hearing. I do not think that she would have been able
to return repeatedly on her own strength.
Prayer resembles pictorially a stop at a gasoline station. This spiritual discipline accomplishes within
our minds, hearts and spirits what filling up an empty tank does for an
automobile. William Barclay stipulates
that prayer centers more upon our personal empowerment that it does upon our
expectations of God’s activity. Periods
of prayer equip us with the power of the Holy Spirit, literally the dynamite,
necessary to annihilate the fear and hindrances that impede God’s will. In the case of this widow, she prays each
time. Faithfully, the Lord honors her
faith and supplies the courage and wisdom she needs to win.
Intentionality is more than a good concept. The two ideas are not synonymous. In its Latin origins, intendere, the word, intentionality, contains the components of
“oughtness,” “action” and “directness.”
We successfully accomplish the things that we intend to do. In a practical sense, intentions always lead
us toward the actual achievement of our goals and dreams. Whereas the canvass of consciousness contains
the mental picture, our intentions are the compass that guide us toward the
place where our hopes and aspirations reside.
One rarely attains any ambitions that one does not resolutely intend to
fulfill. One has to make up in his or
her mind that he or she means to accomplish this task regardless of the costs
and circumstances. Again, intentions are
not good concepts. Many people entertain
fleeting thoughts of grandeur about purpose, peace and prosperity all the
time. The American dream supposes that
all of us can be rich. Yet, those of us
who are happen to be the ones who intended to become rich, excluding those
persons who inherited considerable wealth.
Less than one percent of our citizens hold the Ph.D. degree. The “ABD” (all but dissertation) failure rate
in doctoral programs is upwards of eighty-five percent. This statistics demonstrate that the people
who have doctorates are the ones who intend to endure until they receive one. This widow intended to receive justice. She forged her resolve by following the
leading of her heart.
This passage ends with a divine promise. The Lord pledges to grant justice to His
children similar to the favorable ruling that the indifferent judge grants the
persistent widow. In fact, Luke asks the
rhetorical question, “Will not the Lord also grant justice to His
children?” We have the blessed assurance
that Almighty God will orchestrate the myriad details of our daily challenges
to bring about justice in our lives.
Admittedly, God’s timing often perplexes us. Our natural eyes observe our perpetrators laughing,
frolicking, and enjoying their lives as they disregard us and the harm that
they caused us. Yet, in the fullness of
time, God fulfills His covenantal promises by ensuring that people reap the
consequences of their actions. In
accordance with Galatians 6:7-8, God defends His word and His character. He will not allow people to mock His divine
attributes and unending grace. A
fundamentally loving God who loves everyone with an unfailing love, God imposes
judgment and punishment as He sees fit and in His timeframe. Like the persistent widow, we must persevere
until we receive a just outcome.
The persistent widow seeks justice against her adversary in a legal
proceeding. Perhaps, you have a
longstanding emotional and psychological difficulty that will not heal. May be, you still possess some childhood
guilt, shame and humiliation that seems indelibly blazoned upon your mental
consciousness. Some people make mistakes
as young adults about which they fail to forgive themselves. You can substitute any number of variables
and factors to this story. You can
replace the persistent widow. Nevertheless,
inner healing and wholeness is possible!
Practicing the mantra of the “CSI of Faith” greatly empowers one to
heal permanently. You may ask the
obvious question, “Can I heal once and for all from these past hurts?” The answer is an emphatic and resounding YES! However, healing is contingent upon the
persistent practice of painting on the canvass of your mental consciousness an
unwavering desire to heal. You must
begin to develop an image of yourself as a healed and holistic person. I posit that obtaining this image and
identity necessitates dwelling on the positive in all matters. Arresting negative thoughts and words is
concrete method of accentuating the affirmative. Proactively defining yourself as you are
today is another one. Do not judge
yourself today by who you were yesterday.
Do not allow your relatives and other people do so either. Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you with the
strength and willingness to embrace healing even when your will and power runs
out. Then, be intentional about pursuing
actions that expand and fortify your healing process. Consider how the persistent widow feels with
each action that she takes. It does not
seen reasonable that she sees herself as a victim of circumstances. Rather, she is an active agent in getting
justice for herself. Similarly, as we
pursue new options to live the lives that we imagine, we find inner healing and
wholeness.
Consciousness. Spirit. Intentionality.
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