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There’s a world of difference between the words “should” and “must.” When my wife tells me I should exercise more, I know she’s right. It’s good advice. But there’s still a sense that I have a choice. On the other hand, after I experienced an atrial fibrillation episode while preaching recently—something dehydration may have contributed to—my doctor told me I must drink more water. That wasn’t a suggestion. It was a necessity. That distinction came to mind as I was listening to a sermon on the Parable of the Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1–8). Luke introduces the parable this way: “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should (δεῖ) always (πάντοτε) pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1, NIV). The English word “should” caught my attention because the Greek word behind it is δεῖ. According to the standard Greek lexicon (BDAG), the primary meaning of δεῖ is “it is necessary, one must, one has to.” It expresses necessity or obligation, not merely a good idea. In other words, Jesus isn’t simply recommending persistent prayer. He is saying that praying continually is necessary. The word δεῖ appears more than 100 times in the New Testament, and it consistently carries this sense of necessity.
Most English translations soften Luke 18:1. The NIV, NET, and NLT use “should,” while the NASB and ESV have “ought.” The CSB translates it as “it is necessary,” and the NRSV uses “must.” Those latter renderings capture the force of δεῖ more accurately Of course, persistent prayer raises difficult questions. How long should we keep praying for something? Is there ever a time to stop? How do we know when God is saying “wait,” “no,” or “not yet”?> Scripture doesn’t always give us a simple formula, but I have found one helpful question: Has God released you from praying about it? Sometimes the answer to our prayer has been “no” for a long time. That doesn’t necessarily mean we’re finished praying. If the burden remains, perhaps the invitation to keep praying remains as well. In my office are two pictures that remind me of this truth.
There are prayers I’ve carried for more than twenty-five years. They have not yet been answered the way I hoped, but neither have I sensed that the Lord has released me from praying for them. So I continue. Not because persistence earns God’s favor, but because Jesus says that we must always pray and not lose heart. What has God placed so deeply on your heart that you still carry it before him? Perhaps today is another invitation—not to give up, but to keep trusting, keep believing, and keep praying. |
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I am so glad to read here Jesus encouraged us to be persistent in prayer. I feel like the persistent widow sometimes saying the same prayer over and over. Blessings to you, Pastor.