Day 18 — Luke 18—Praying the Impossible

“What is impossible with man is possible with God.” — Luke 18:27 (ESV)

One of the great dangers in the Christian life is not unanswered prayer, but small prayer. We can slowly drift into praying safe prayers, measured prayers, reasonable prayers—prayers that require little faith and expect minimal interruption from God. Yet Luke 18 confronts us with a powerful reminder: Jesus is not too busy to hear you. He invites earnest, persistent prayer because He is the all-powerful, sovereign Savior for whom nothing is impossible.

Oswald Chambers once observed, “The revelation of our spiritual standing is what we ask in prayer; sometimes what we ask is an insult to God; we ask with our eyes on the possibilities or on ourselves, not on Jesus Christ.” That statement cuts to the heart. Our prayers reveal what we truly believe about God. Do we see Him as mighty, present, and attentive—or distant, limited, and disinterested?

Luke 18 brings prayer into sharp focus through contrast. Jesus places side by side different hearts, different approaches, and different responses to God. What emerges is not a formula for prayer, but a posture.

Jesus begins with a parable “to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). The story of the persistent widow is simple but profound. She has no power, no status, no leverage—only persistence. She repeatedly comes to an unjust judge, asking for justice. The judge does not fear God or respect people, yet he eventually grants her request simply because she refuses to stop asking.

Jesus’ point is not that God is like the unjust judge, but that He is unlike him. If persistence works even with an uncaring judge, how much more with a loving Father? God is not irritated by repetition. He is not annoyed by dependence. Persistence in prayer is not about wearing God down—it is about aligning our hearts with His purposes and refusing to let go of hope.

Then Jesus tells another parable—this time about two men praying in the temple. One is a Pharisee, confident, polished, and proud. His prayer is really a speech about himself. The other is a tax collector, broken and desperate, who can barely lift his eyes to heaven. His prayer is short and sincere: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (v. 13).

The contrast is striking. One prayer is arrogant; the other is honest. One draws attention to righteousness; the other pleads for mercy. Jesus declares that the humble man goes home justified. Prayer is not about impressing God—it is about depending on Him.

Luke then shows us children being brought to Jesus. The disciples try to stop them, assuming Jesus is too important, too busy, too preoccupied. But Jesus rebukes them. He welcomes the children and reminds everyone that the kingdom of God belongs to those who come with childlike faith—simple trust, open hands, and genuine need.

Immediately following this scene comes the encounter with the rich young ruler. He approaches Jesus respectfully and sincerely, yet his heart is divided. He wants eternal life, but he also wants control. When Jesus exposes the grip of wealth on his heart, the man walks away sorrowful. This is a compartmentalized response to Jesus—one where Jesus is consulted, but not prioritized.

The disciples are stunned. If someone so moral and successful cannot be saved, who can? Jesus’ answer brings us to the heart of the chapter: “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Salvation is not achieved by effort, status, or resources. It is a work of divine grace. And the same principle applies to prayer.

Humanly speaking, some things are impossible. Changed hearts. Healed wounds. Restored marriages. Freedom from sin. Gospel breakthroughs. But faith does not look at impossibility as the final word—it looks at God.

Then Luke introduces us to one of the most moving scenes in the chapter: a blind man sitting by the roadside as Jesus passes by. He cannot see Jesus, but he can hear that Jesus is near. And that is enough. He begins to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (v. 38).

The crowd rebukes him. They tell him to be quiet. But Luke tells us something powerful: he cried out all the more. This man understood opportunity. Jesus was passing by, and he would not let the moment slip away. His prayer was not polished. It was not quiet. It was desperate, persistent, and faith-filled.

And what does Jesus do? He stops. He listens. He calls the man forward. The Lord of heaven and earth pauses for one persistent cry of faith. When Jesus asks what he wants, the man answers simply: “Lord, let me recover my sight.” Jesus heals him immediately and declares that his faith has made him well.

This is not just a miracle story—it is a lesson on prayer. Jesus desires to hear you. He delights in faith that refuses to be silenced by obstacles, opinions, or delays. Persistent prayer is not presumption; it is confidence in God’s character.

So we must ask ourselves: Are we persistent in prayer? Do we truly believe He can—and will—answer according to His will? Are our prayers big enough that only Jesus could possibly meet them?

If our prayers can be answered without God, they are too small. If our prayers never stretch us beyond comfort, they may not reflect trust. Keep praying the impossible—not because faith demands outcomes, but because faith trusts God.

Luke 18 assures us that faith in our possible God leads to great change and great possibilities in the days ahead. Jesus is not too busy. He is not distracted. He is not limited. He hears earnest, persistent prayer—and He invites us to keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking.
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Prayer:
Lord Jesus, forgive me for praying small prayers and losing heart when answers seem delayed. Teach me to pray with persistence, humility, and faith. Help me fix my eyes not on my limitations, but on Your power. I bring my impossible situations to You today, trusting Your will, Your wisdom, and Your timing. Strengthen my faith, deepen my dependence, and lead me forward with confidence in You. In Your mighty name, amen.

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