2 Samuel 19-20, Luke 18; 1-23 • Key Verse: Luke 18:1
When the starting gun is fired at the beginning of a marathon, it is anticipated that fewer runners
will finish than will start. And that is not even considering those who one day decided to run a
maratho’n and never even made it to the starting line. There is something about a long run that
thins out the crowd.
That is true not only with running but other endurance events as well. Anything that involves
keeping at it for the long haul will invariably have more at die beginning than at the end.
One of the individual ‘marathons” we are all called upon to run is prayer.
To His disciples Jesus one day told a parable to show them that “they should always pray and not
give up” (v. 1). You can’t miss the point of the story because Luke tells us in the first verse what
it is about.
The fact that Jesus told this parable means that we do at times fail at continuing to pray. We give
up rather than keeping on. In His word, we “faint.”
Runners talk about “hitting the wall.” Physically and emotionally they come to a point where
they just want to stop. The same happens to “prayers.” We hit the wall and want to give up, to
faint. But Jesus says, “Don’t.”
Being a person of prayer is not a matter of a quick sprint but staying in it for the long haul. Pray,
keep praying, and don’t stop.
Is there a request you no longer pray because you gave up? Start praying for it again right now.

Woodrow Kroll & Tony Beckett
www.backtothebible.in