Luke 18  The days are getting short and Jesus is headed to Jerusalem.. quite aware of what lies ahead.  He takes this time to teach His followers more about prayer.. 

Using the illustration of a judge who finally provided the justice a widow needed after she came continually before him.. Jesus teaches us that God always hears us and "will not delay long.. "  We can bring Him our needs and trust Him to hear us.  "However, when the Son of Man comes will He find faith on the earth?" Jesus asks.   Indeed... are we asking... and trusting God?  Let us have a boldness to come before Him with every need and the faith to simply trust Him. 

Jesus used another illustration to point out the need of humility in praying.  The example is of a Pharisee who only prayed by bragging about himself and his "righteousness"... and the tax-gatherer who simply and humbly begged for mercy.. confessing his sinfulness and need.  Jesus again emphasized that the humble are heard and exalted while the prideful are not.  Let us come before the throne of grace with sincere and humble hearts. 

Jesus was approached by a "rich young ruler"  who asked  how to obtain eternal life.  Jesus told him to keep the commandments.. which the man said that he did.. "from my youth".  To get to the man's heart Jesus tells him to sell all he has, give it to the poor, and follow Him.  The young man sadly turns away.. his heart exposed... his wealth was his god... he could not give it up.  "How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God.. "  Yet, it is not impossible! "The things impossible with men are possible with God."  Let us be thankful that God gives us all that we need to lay down our lives, take up our crosses, and follow Him.  Christ in us.. the hope of glory.. makes it possible to surrender all else and say with Him, "Thy will be done."  The prayer that never fails! 

The final event in this chapter is the story of the blind man outside of Jericho who cries out, " Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (a simple and humble prayer)   He cried out even louder when others tried to stop him.. and Jesus heard and called him to come.  "What do you want Me to do for you?" Jesus asked.  That seems like an obvious answer.. but the blind man responds, " Lord, I want to regain my sight."  Jesus said that the man's faith made him well.. faith to call out.. faith to confess the title "Lord"and "the Son of David". Faith to believe and receive the healing he needed.  Faith that gave the glory to God as he followed Jesus.  Let us be like this man who did not give up.. who trusted God.. who humbly came before Jesus, confessing Him as Lord and King. 

Father in heaven, we celebrate and praise the Lord Jesus, our King, who teaches us how to pray.  Thank You for this reminder that You always hear our humble cries.. You are always ready to show us justice and mercy.  You give to us all that we need.. so that we can come before You, sincerely and humbly seeking Your will.  Make our hearts pure so that we are able to say, "Your will be done" in every circumstance.  Take my life and let it be.. wholly Yours, Lord Jesus.  Amen.