What are you praying for?

I read this story this morning:
"There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. A widow in that city kept after him: 'My rights are being violated. Protect me!'

  "He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, 'I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. But because this widow won't quit badgering me, I'd better do something and see that she gets justice—otherwise I'm going to end up beaten black-and-blue by her pounding.'"

Of course this was the story that Jesus told to illustrate persistence in praying. And then he said: "Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won't step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won't he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?" If the corrupt judge will in the end grant the widow's request, is it conceivable that God, who is pure love, would be harder to persuade to answer prayers?


Then I fell to thinking, what is it that I'm really praying for when I'm longing for diseases to be healed, or injustice to be sorted, and famines and floods and wars to end? In fact I'm praying for God's Kingdom to come quickly - when there'll be no reason to cry. Sorrow and sighing will be a thing of the past. And that, of course, is exactly what Jesus told us to pray for: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven...."


Prayer isn't just a matter of pious longing. It's more than that, just as worship is more than singing along with "Songs of Praise". Somehow, prayer is active engagement with the need.... maybe just telling the person they're in your thoughts and prayers, or visiting them; or if it's a cause lobbying your MP! But it always includes, and starts with engagement with our loving Heavenly Father, "who loves to give to his children good things." And he will.