Backseat Faith: Luke 18:1-8

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It’s natural to get discouraged. We live in a culture that practically demands that we be happy. Like, what’s wrong with you if you aren’t? See all those pictures of your friends that show how happy they are? Now, snap out of it!

Jesus could read us better than that. One day, “he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1 ESV). Before you even think about the parable, think of that introduction! Jesus could read us well. He was insightful. He knew that discouragement was natural, and he was going to give us the help we need for those hard days.

So he told a parable about the availability and accessibility of God to his children. You can look it up for yourself in Luke 18. The ending is noteworthy, as Jesus asked, “Will God delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily” (v7b-8a). The solution wasn’t God’s wiping away the trial, but our turning to God, who made a promise to resolve it one day, very soon, “speedily” (v8).

But “speedily” is a tricky word. Sometimes you may think, “God, your idea and my idea of very soon are pretty far apart!” When Jesus promised resolution soon, he was speaking from a higher point of view.

It’s like this: You’ve been driving for eight hours. The kids in the back say, “Are we almost there?” Now: Define almost. You say, “Yes, we are almost there!” Because you only have an hour to go. It’s so close you can feel it. The weather is different. You are off the interstate now. You see a different kind of trees. You see the skyline of your destination city. You can smell the beach or the pines. You are almost there! Only an hour to go! Don’t lose heart, kiddos!

But an impatient child defines almost as within the next five minutes, tops. One hour equals an eternity. I mean, they only have an hour left to live! Don’t you know that?

So in those moments, when you feel like you only have an hour left to live, you can pray rather than lose heart. In fact, stop listening to the people who have lost heart, and become the one who gives them hope. Point them to Jesus our Savior. (Or turn to Jesus to be your Savior!) Before you lose heart, remember, you can pray to a God who has great things planned for you.

So then Jesus followed up his parable with this question: “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (v8b). That is to say, “After this nine-hour drive to the beach, when we pull up to the hotel, will I find a happy, excited little family in the backseat? Or a meltdown?” Will he find us trusting? That’s not a shaming question, just a direct question. Will he find us praying, praying, praying, before we totally lose heart?

Discouragement is a natural thing. It’s a good thing we have a God who anticipates that.