YEA Lesson Library

The Lesson

In 1940, Wilma Rudolph was the 20th of 22 children to be born in her family. She was born with polio and suffered serious bouts of pneumonia and scarlet fever. Polio left her in a leg brace until she, in faith, removed it when she was eleven years old.

Having been born with a disability didn’t stop Wilma – she was determined and persistent. At 13 she got involved with basketball and track at school. It didn’t take long before Wilma was running and winning races. As a sophomore in high school, she participated in the Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia. But she lost the 200 meter race. Wilma didn’t give up. She became more determined than ever.

After entering Tennessee State she became a member of Ed Temple’s “Tigerbelles” track team. In 1960, she set a world record for the 200 meter dash during the Olympic trials. Then in the Olympic games in Rome, she became the first American woman to win three gold medals in the 100 meter dash, the 200 meter dash and the 400 meter relay. Wilma worked her way through school and later became a coach. Her autobiography was a best-seller, and in 1977 it became a television movie, starring Cicely Tyson.

As an African-American child with a terrible disability, the odds were certainly against Wilma ever attaining such achievements and honor. But the thing she had in her favor was the determination to hang in there regardless of any snags or handicaps.

You already know that high achievements and honor require persistence and determination. If we let such things as disabilities or hardship deter us, we’ll probably be mediocre at best. But have you ever thought that getting answers to your prayers can require the same kind of persistence and determination? Jesus told His disciples a story of a widow who had been harmed by a man and wanted justice. Unfortunately, she had to deal with a godless judge. Think of the excuses she could have made. She could have easily said, “I’m a poor widow lady in a society where women are considered second class citizens. I’m afraid of the man who harmed me and this godless, harsh judge.” But she didn’t fall prey to the “victim” trap. Even though the judge totally ignored her at first, she kept coming back again and again.

Eventually her persistence got on the judge’s nerves. He said, “I fear neither God nor man, but this woman bothers me. I’m going to see that she gets justice, for she is wearing me out with her constant coming!” Jesus went on to say that if an evil judge can be worn down by the persistence of a widow lady, don’t you think a merciful God will surely give justice to His people who plead with Him day and night? Jesus assured them that our Father will answer us quickly.

The principle of persistence is so important that Jesus told another story. Let’s suppose you need to borrow some loaves of bread so you go to a friend’s house at midnight. You shout up to him that a friend has just come for a visit and you don’t have food for him. Your neighbor might shout back at you, “Don’t ask me to get up. The door is locked for the night and we’re all in bed. I can’t help you this time.” Jesus said even though he won’t get up and give you the bread, because you’re a friend, he’ll do it if you’re persistent enough. The same thing is true with prayer. He said, “I will do whatever you ask in my name” John 14:14 (NIV).

Jesus is not teaching that the only requirement for answered prayer is to nag Him. James 4:3 says, “You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (NIVSB). James 5:16 helps us get a more complete picture of what is required before we can expect our prayers to be answered. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” So what does it mean if we feel we’re asking for something in prayer the proper way and in the proper frame of mind and we still don’t get what we ask? This is often the source of real problems for growing Christians. Should you think God is like the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus? How can you believe in Him if He doesn’t do what He said He will do?

Remember, God doesn’t measure time the way human beings measure it. To Him a day is the same as a thousand years and a thousand years is the same as one day. We measure time based upon the sun and the moon – which He created. He doesn’t have those same delimiters. He can answer your prayers when He deems it is best for you. As you pray, one of the most important things to keep in mind is to ask that God’s will be done. Sometimes it’s necessary for God to delay or deny a heartfelt request because He knows what is really best for you. He knows the future and His plans for you. But stay with it in prayer until you know it is not God’s will for you to have what you have requested.