Persistence

Luke 18:1-8

 

        One of the first theological lessons I had to learn was God is not Santa Claus. Wouldn’t that be wonderful if God was Santa? We could just make our list, check it twice, and then wait for God to somehow make our wildest dreams come true. But that is just not the case. I can’t tell you how often I’ve had folks ask me to pray for their particular situation. Prayer is a powerful tool. It gives us comfort. It invites the praying community to share in our anxiety. But often the outcome we experience is not the outcome we desired. Does this mean we should not pray? HEAVENS NO! Prayer is a pure expression of faith. Prayer is our acknowledgment of the power and grace of God.  Prayer is our way of asking God what we can do. Through prayer, God opens doors everyone assumed was shut.  

        In 1986 I met the widow mentioned in our New Testament text. She lived in Mexico City which months before had undergone a horrific earthquake. Even today we have no idea how many people lost their lives, either because of the destruction or the health crisis that followed. Mexico City is an area that has consistently built housing skyward despite the knowledge that the city sits on the Middle American Trench. That fateful morning over 4,000 multistoried buildings were destroyed. Another 12,000 were declared uninhabitable. No one could even begin to estimate the number of displaced people. Sophia Morales was one of those people. Her building was declared unsafe. She and her family were placed on the streets to fend for themselves. Unlike thousands of others displaced folks, she began to pray. And much to the discomfort of the mayor of Mexico City, she did more than just fall on her knees.

        Many of the first responders to the earthquake were rescue workers from Germany and Canada. They initially came with food and medical supplies. They  also promised building supplies for those who were able to rebuild. Sophia organized the families from her building and together they approached the aid workers. The families were told if the government would either demolish the building or give them land on which to build, materials needed to rebuild would be forthcoming. The catch was the families would have construct building. This discouraged many folks. They were not construction workers. Sophia’s group dwindled to five families.  But that is all it took.

        For five consecutive months, six days a week, Sophia and a member of her group went to the mayor’s office to ask the mayor for a small piece of land. After their initial contact with the mayor, it was a month before they saw him again. But each morning they showed up. Sometimes they met a representative of the mayor. Sometimes they saw no one. But they kept going. Initially they were told the mayor was looking for land. Then they were told there were too many similar requests. During the third month they were escorted from the Federal Building daily. By the fourth month they were told to be patient. And then in February, five months after the earthquake, the mayor announced land had been found. The next day the five families began to clear the land. When I met with Sophia and her group in April, the group had completed the structure for the first floor and was starting on the second story.

        When Sophia concluded her story, I asked what held the five families together. “That is easy. These were the families from our Bible study group. We formed it over two years ago. We used to meet three nights a week. Since the earthquake we have met every night. This is what gives us hope. When the earthquake hit we were in the midst of a study on the book of Luke. When the workers from Canada and Germany promised us supplies we had just read about the widow who pestered the wicked judge to death. We thought to ourselves, “We will be the widow.” Our studies taught us that God is not only a God of love, God is a God of justice. As long as we were faithful, the mayor never stood a chance.”

        I often think about Sophia Morales. I think about her when I see folks in Haiti trying once again to rebuild their nation. I have been to Haiti. They are a very religious people who daily turn to God for inspiration.  They will rebuild no matter what nature and government institutions continue to throw in their direction.

        I think of Sophia Morales when I hear the dreadful stories coming out of Chicago. Why? Because the one group making inroads into the lives of young people in the inner city of Chicago is the Black Church.

        I think of Sophia Morales every time I hear a young person quote the words from Maya Angelou’s poem, “Still I Rise.”  I heard Maya speak once and she said it was not the God of conformity, the God of Justice that gave her the voice to not only pray but speak out against the sexual abuse she had received as a child.

        Leaving behind the nights of terror and fear,

                I rise,

        Into a daybreak that is wondrously clear,

                I rise,

        Giving the gifts my ancestors gave,

Into hopes and dreams of the slave,

                I still rise.

 

        We should think of Sophia Morales every time we come to God in prayer. We should remember Sophia Morales every time we reach for the Ben Gay after an hour at our community wood pile.         We should think of Sophia Morales anytime we hesitate to go help with the back packs, or the garden, or the senior luncheons. I hope you will think of Sophia Morales next week when during worship we are reminded of how many unknown folks we help with our time and talents. Prayer is a powerful tool. Persistent prayer inspires us to become the tool God uses to answer prayer. You build homes, You light fires, You provide food, You offer hope where none can be found.

        Taking prayer seriously erects hope where hope had been all but forgotten.

        Taking prayer seriously celebrates justice for those without influence or power.

        Taking prayer seriously is a dangerous endeavor for the wicked, a foolish endeavor for the lazy, and a hopeless endeavor for the satisfied.

        I know you are persistent in your prayer life. I experience it in our joys and concerns every Sunday morning. I know you are persistent in your presence. I see you at the wood pile, the garden, the food closets, the hospitals and the homes of those who are sick.  And I know  sometimes we wonder if we are actually making a difference.  Sophia would say yes. The people of Nelson County would say yes. Most importantly God is saying, “Well done good and faithful people. Your persistent love, your persistent labors, and your persistent generosity are answers to prayer.”

        So keep on praying,

Keep on working,

Keep on giving.

You are a light to this valley.

                                  Amen.