Proper 24 C, October 16, 2016

Have you ever felt that God isn’t listening to you?
Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t seem to answer your prayers?
Have you ever suspected that God may be too busy dealing with more important matters—and doesn’t have time for your petty concerns?
If so--you are not alone!
 
In today’s Gospel reading—Jesus tells a story about a widow who was seeking justice.
Someone was trying to trample on her rights—a common occurrence in Jesus’ day.
The widow took her case to court—but the judge wouldn’t listen to her.
 
Apparently this widow didn’t have a TV.
Or else she wasn’t a fan of Judge Judy.
If she were, she would have known to call George Sink at “all nines”—or contact the Dick James Law Firm at one of their convenient locations in Galilee.
As it was—she had no one to plead her case.
In any event—a widow (in those days) wouldn’t have had the means to afford an attorney—even if she could have found one willing to represent her.
 
But the widow didn’t give up.
She wouldn’t back down—and she wouldn’t shut up.
She kept coming back to court—and badgering the judge—until he finally agreed to hear her case.
The widow’s persistence wore the judge down—until he finally granted her request!
 
Jesus held the “Persistent Widow” up as an example to his followers.
Like her--we must not give up.
We must be persistent in prayer.
We must pray always—and not lose heart.
 
How well Jesus knew his disciples.
And how well he knows us.
How easily we tend to become discouraged.
How quick we are to give up on prayer—and give up on God!
 
St. Paul, too, admonishes us to be persistent.
In today’s reading from Second Timothy he says:
“Be persistent—with the utmost patience—and carry out your ministry fully.”
 
In other words--don’t get discouraged when the going gets rough.
Don’t give up on God!
And don’t give up on the work God has given you to do.
Unfortunately—fewer and fewer of us seem to be listening!
Recent surveys show that America’s faith in God may be slipping.
This is particularly true among young adults.
According to one survey—the number of Americans under 30 years of age who say they “doubt the existence of God” has doubled in the last few years—and now stands at 33 per cent—nearly one-in-three.
 
Various explanations have been given for this trend.
Some blame fundamentalism and right-wing politics.
Others cite the erosion of traditional beliefs.
Still others point to attacks on religion by the courts and the liberal media.
 
Whatever the reason—it seems to be true.
Young adults (as a group) are drifting away from God.
Most Americans still believe—but increasingly, they find it difficult to defend their faith.
The question Jesus asks at the end of today’s Gospel reading still begs an answer:
“When the Son of Man returns--will he find faith on the Earth?”
 
A few years ago—a distraught person wrote a letter to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
The letter described a number of difficult personal problems—and then concluded with this statement:
“I’m about to give up on God.
“I’ve prayed and prayed for God to take away my problems—but nothing has changed.
“Why doesn’t God do something?
“I thought God was supposed to care about us.”
 
Billy Graham himself answered the letter.
To his credit—he didn’t judge—or even pretend to have a comprehensive answer.
Instead—he sympathized with the writer’s concerns.
He said that we can never know why God acts—or fails to act—as he does.
Still—we need to hold onto our faith—and be persistent in prayer.
God may not “take away” our problems—as we often hope that he will.
But he can give us the strength we need to face them.
 
Dr. Graham gave essentially the same advice that Jesus and St. Paul did:
Don’t be discouraged.
Be persistent!
Pray always—and don’t lose heart.
Don’t give up on God.
And don’t give up on the work God has given you to do.
 
That is good advice.
However—it’s not easy advice.
It’s not easy to hold on to one’s faith.
Easier—(we would like to think)—for someone like Mother Teresa—or Billy Graham—than for you and me!
 
Today’s Old Testament reading from Genesis is one of my favorites—and it may provide some insight here.
It’s one of those Bible stories many of us heard as children.
I remember it as “Jacob Wrestling with the Angel.”
 
Actually the story is part of a larger saga.
You may remember that—as a young man—Jacob tricked his brother Esau into giving up his “birthright” as the eldest son—and then cheated him out of his father’s “blessing” as well.
Esau was furious when he discovered the trickery—and he vowed to kill Jacob.
So Jacob fled into the wilderness to escape his brother’s wrath.
 
Over the years God blessed Jacob—in spite of his crooked character—and gave him wives and children and flocks and herds.
It seemed that life was good.
But then—Jacob received word that Esau was coming to pay him an unexpected visit—along with 300 armed men!
 
Jacob quickly gathered up his wives and children and flocks and herds—and sent them across the Jabbok River to safety.
Then he lay down to a troubled sleep—knowing that he would have to face Esau the next day.
 
This is where today’s reading picks up.
In his sleep—Jacob “wrestles” with a strong man—all night long.
As day is breaking—the mysterious stranger departs—but not before doing something important.
He gives Jacob a blessing—and a new name.
From now on—Jacob will be known as “Israel.”
The new name--“Israel”—means “The one who wrestles with God.”
For Jacob had “striven with God and with humans—and had prevailed.”
 
“The one who wrestles with God!”
Jacob literally “wrestled” with God.
He wrestled with God—both physically and spiritually.
And he wouldn’t give up.
That’s the important part.
He wouldn’t let go.
And because he persisted—he eventually “prevailed.”
 
This story teaches us what it’s like to believe in God.
Sometimes it’s a wrestling match!
Sometimes it’s a struggle to hold on to our faith.
To keep on believing may take every ounce of strength we have—both physically and spiritually.
But if we hang on to our faith—and refuse to let go—then eventually we will be blessed.
We will prevail!
 
In the Bible—God’s Chosen People adopted their forefather’s new name.
They were called Israel—and that’s who they were.
Throughout their history they wrestled with God—and with their human neighbors.
Their story was one big wrestling match!
But because they refused to give up--they eventually “prevailed.”
 
Now it’s our turn.
Now we are Israel.
Each of us must continue to wrestle with God—and with our fellow humans.
Not least of all—we must wrestle with ourselves.
 
So be persistent.
Hang on to your faith—and don’t let go.
Pray always—and don’t lose heart.
Don’t give up on God.
And don’t give up on the work God has given you to do.
 
If we “persevere with steadfast faith”—then eventually we will be blessed.
 
Eventually--we will prevail!
 
AMEN.