Gospel Truth in Luke 18 (Dec 3)

Christ Teaches Childlike Faith

With His gaze fixed in Jerusalem
and the consummation of his
earthly ministry, Jesus intensifies
His final training of the disciples.
Stewardship is the central theme,
for the disciples will soon be
entrusted with the message
of the gospel. Jesus outlines the
duties of a servant & underscores
the importance of prayer.

Lord, grant us Child-like Faith:
One day Jesus told his disciples
a story to show that they should
always pray and never give up…
There was a widow; and she came
to the judge, saying: Get justice for
me from my adversary… And shall
God not avenge His own elect who
cry out day & night to Him (L18:1-7)
Jesus called for the children & said
to the disciples: Let the children
come to me. Don’t stop them!
For the Kingdom of God belongs
to such as these. I assure you,
anyone who doesn’t have their
kind of faith will never get into the
kingdom of God (Luke 18:16-17).
A blind beggar… asked what was
happening. They told him that
Jesus the Nazarene was going by.
So he began shouting: Jesus, Son
of David have mercy on me (35-38)

Lord, sometimes in prayer, we may
feel like the widow, being ignored.
Help us Lord to be like the widow
to keep knocking in spite of how
discouraged we may feel. For
prayer is not overcoming God’s
reluctance but laying hold of His
will. And we’ll find our Father has
indeed heard. For Lord You are
our hope and our salvation. Amen.

Lord, sometimes we take our
faith for granted. Restore to me
my first love for You and the
Child-like faith in You. I want to
embrace the simplicity of the
Father’s love but there are new
depths that you wish to show me.
I ask you to take my faith to the
next level. And then help me
to share it with others. Amen.

Lord, thank You that You are
our Healer; that you are willing
and able to touch the smallest
to the greatest of our physical,
emotional and spiritual needs.
We realise one fundamental
question on prayer is that we
give Jesus access to our needs.
Help us to be like the blind beggar
who cry out to You in simple faith.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.