Exodus 17:8-13; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2; Luke 18:1-8

Moses had led the Israelites out of Egypt. He fully trusted God and followed all instructions he received. However, as only he heard these instructions, the Israelites blamed Moses whenever they were unhappy. The people grumbled when they were hungry and when they were thirsty. Moses raised his concerns for his own safety towards God. God would have known what was happening. Moses was not complaining to God about being hungry or thirsty himself, but rather about the peoples’ behaviour to him. Was God testing Moses? Moses remained faithful and kept following God’s instructions without questioning.

After God had provided remedy for hunger and thirst, the Israelites are attacked by warriors. Their survival is threatened again.
We don’t know the explicit instructions God gave Moses here, but it is clear that Moses knew that he would receive support from God as long as his arms were raised towards heaven.

This time, Moses needs witnesses and support. He goes up on the mountain to be closer to God, but he takes Aaron and Hur with him. The two men eventually have to help him hold up his arms – and provide a stone for Moses to sit down. An act of prayer and perseverance.
Joshua would have been a good defender, but by showing that even Joshua’s success depended on God’s support, the Israelites would have to realise that they were in God’s hands.
After the battle, God asks Moses to write down what had happened, so that future generations would learn from it. The Israelites were freed by the help of God, they survived by the help of God – and God wants the people to remember it.

God’s work and God’s support for those who are faithful, and act righteously is recorded in the Scriptures. Therefore, we can find wisdom in the Scriptures. As they are inspired by God, they are the source of all teaching.
This message sounds as simple as a manual. However, even if a manual is written by great technicians and experts, there is always the risk of misinterpreting the written manual.
God’s wisdom is so limitless that our human brains will never be able to fully understand every message God conveys to us. The risk of misunderstandings is taken into consideration by Paul’s words of ‘guiding people’s lives and teaching them to be holy’. These are terms that fit with the literal translation of the word ‘educate’. The Latin word ‘educare’ most likely derives from ‘ex ducere’, which means to ‘lead out’… The Holy Scriptures lead us out of ignorance and show us the wonder of God. This journey takes time, faith and patience.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples a parable that connects to Moses’ act of prayer and perseverance and the Christians’ mission to teach the Scriptures.
The woman in this story insists in being heard. She doesn’t keep quiet.
The judge, for whatever reason, is not interested in dealing with her case. While he doesn’t fear any punishment for his indifference, it is the constant nagging and the perseverance displayed by the woman, rather than his duty that comes with his privileges, that finally make him act.

The judge has been delaying judging over the issue. By doing so, he denied the woman justice.
It seems like his intention was either to neglectfully ignore or to intentionally cover up. He thought that the matter would just go away, but the woman keeps insisting. Filled with a sense of justice, she keeps reminding the judge of his duty to bring justice.
When the judge finally deals with the case, he doesn’t do so for the sake of serving justice and holding perpetrators accountable, but rather for his own peace of mind.
The woman’s faith in justice has made her strong and persistent.
However, what would happen if there was nobody with faith who would keep reminding the judge of his duties? Justice might not be served…

Perseverance, persistence and prayer combined will lead to success. It might not be easy, but we are encouraged not to lose heart.

BM