Isaiah 37:16-20 | Luke 18:1-8
Reading through Isaiah during Advent: Isaiah 36-38
Even if you’re not following the track of reading the whole of Isaiah during Advent, perhaps you’d take the time anyway today to read Isaiah 36-38. Assyrian King Sennacherib isn’t a very well-known name in the Bible. In Isaiah, his story is simple.
He came against Jerusalem. Israel’s king, Hezekiah, prayed for help and God delivered Jerusalem.
Isaiah 37:16-20
“Lord of heavenly forces, God of Israel: you sit enthroned on the winged creatures. You alone are God over all the earth’s kingdoms. You made both heaven and earth. Lord, turn your ear this way and hear! Lord, open your eyes and see! Listen to Sennacherib’s words. He sent them to insult the living God! It’s true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have destroyed all the nations and their lands. The Assyrians burned the gods of those nations with fire because they aren’t real gods. They are only man-made creations of wood and stone. That’s how the Assyrians could destroy them. So now, Lord our God, please save us from Sennacherib’s power! Then all the earth’s kingdoms will know that you alone are Lord.”
Luke 18:1-8
Jesus was telling them a parable about their need to pray continuously and not to be discouraged. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him, asking, ‘Give me justice in this case against my adversary.’ For a while he refused but finally said to himself, I don’t fear God or respect people, but I will give this widow justice because she keeps bothering me. Otherwise, there will be no end to her coming here and embarrassing me.” The Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. Won’t God provide justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he be slow to help them? I tell you, he will give them justice quickly. But when the Human One comes, will he find faithfulness on earth?”
Prayer
God,
So you really do listen to intercessory prayer? The Bible tells me so. Whether it’s Abraham’s prayer for the cities, Hezekiah’s prayer for Jerusalem and his own life, or Peter’s healing of the beggar at the Gate Beautiful, we are told that you change things if we ask.
Even Jesus said so.
But how do you choose, God? Why do so many prayers - and many that are right and just - go unanswered? I, like many, try to tell myself that you see a bigger picture, but honestly, sometimes that feels like excuse-making. I actually feel much more comfortable saying, “I don’t know why. It doesn’t make sense.” If I’m even more honest…sometimes I wonder if it means you don’t answer prayer in such a way. Again, I’m just being honest.
I mean - channeling Abraham - how many righteous people are in Gaza? Is 10 enough? 100? 100,000? …children? (Not that I think you’re destroying Gaza, God…)
And with the reports coming out more specifically about what happened on October 7, man…God, didn’t those women, children, men…didn’t they cry out to you for help?
In the end, I know I am not you. I have neither the power nor the wisdom to change all that much. And that’s why I want to cry out to you.
So I will continue to do so. Give me the faith.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.
Tough stuff!
I wrestle with these same thoughts