Luke 18:1

Luke 18:1 says, And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;  Jesus once more taught with a parable, this time to teach that as His followers we should always pray and not faint.  Verse two adds, Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:  The parable was about a judge who didn't fear God or have any regard for people.  There seem to be some of these type judges today, especially those who do not believe in God.  Verse three continues, And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.  A widow in the city where the judge presided came to him and asked him to avenge her against her adversary.  We are not told what made the person her adversary.  With the judge being as he was, it really wouldn't have mattered most likely.  We may come to God with grievances that the world knows nothing about.  Verse four states, And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;  At first, the judge wouldn't take any action on the widow's request, acknowledging that there was no one he feared, not even God.  Verse five adds, Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.  The judge then decided to avenge the widow so that she would not continue to come to him and weary him.  We still are not told if the widow had a valid complaint or not, but only that she was persistent in bringing it to the judge.  The parable was about persistence, but if we are coming to God with requests, it needs to be something that is valid and in keeping with His word and will.  God will never grant us anything that is not in accordance with His word and will, no matter how persistently we may ask.  Verse six declares, And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.  Jesus told them to hear what the unjust judge said about persistence being rewarded. Verse seven adds, And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?  Jesus asked if God would not avenge His elect, even if it did not happen immediately.  Verse eight adds, I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?  Jesus said that God would speedily avenge His people, but also asked when He returns in judgment if He would find any faithful people.  We may think that there are very few people faithful to God today, and even if that is true, God because of His long suffering is continuing to give people a chance to come to Him.  I don't believe that this parable means that if we ask God for something we want that is not in His will long enough that He will give it to us, but that we are to come to Him persistently in prayer in accordance with His will and by the leadershipof the HolySpirit, and to know that He will always hear us.