WEARING GOD OUT

Joshua 13:1-14:15; Luke 18:1-17; Psalm 85:1-13; Proverbs 13:7-8

“But Moses gave no allotment of land to the tribe of Levi, for the Lord, the God of Israel, had promised that he himself would be their allotment.”

“The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

“Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people. But let them not return to their foolish ways.
 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, so our land will be filled with his glory. Unfailing love and truth have met together.
Righteousness and peace have kissed!
 Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven!”

I’ve never been quite sure what to do with the unjust judge. The whole parable makes me uncomfortable. It seems to suggest God will bless us just to get us to shut up and leave Him alone; hardly the kind of relationship a loving Father would want from His whiny kids. But today, since the reading forced me to look at it again, I looked deeper. I saw the lesson as Dad to my own kids.

The kids are pretty much adults now, all grown up and graduating from law school and college and two years into University life, respectively. Two are home for Christmas Break but spend more time out with friends than in the house. The third is already married. After typing the third sentence of this blog, I realized something. Actually, it’s pretty neat that they still ask me for stuff. It’s really cool to be able to provide it when I can and it’s appropriate. Even when the answer is no mas, I often find myself wishing they’d keep asking. Because I want to know their hearts, and I want them to be sure they know them, too. I want them to know what’s important, what is truly necessary, and not just what they want. I actually like being the Dad-provider, as much as I grouse about it to them. Because that’s what Dads and Moms do; their joy is providing for their kids. I don’t believe God is any different, except He’s a lot more generous.

So, the message today is pretty simple: keep asking. Stay in relationship. Don’t hide our hearts from the One who wants to know us and be known by us more than anything. Fear not. If we’re wrong about what it is we think we need, the urge will pass. But if it means so much that we continually bring our need before the Father, He will provide.

“Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

The Holy Spirit actually wants to be our provision. Jesus’ point in the story was not that we wear God out. It was that, in his humanness, even the unjust judge still gave the petitioner what she asked. Christ will do this and so much more than any judge, if we just keep seeking out relationship with Him. In fact, I kinda think there’s an implied challenge here. I think Christ is daring us to just try to wear God out, daring us to stay at it until He knows our whole heart, and can fulfill our deepest desires, because we finally open ourselves up to accept His grace and bounty. Maybe that’s what Christmas is all about. Actually, the Gift is already given. God wants us to keep asking for it until we finally realize we already have Him.