Pray and do not Lose Heart

“18:1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:1-8)
A parable to the effect that they ought to always pray and not lose heart. Why should we always pray? Because God hears prayer, because it is an exercise of faith that strengthens faith. Luther likened prayer to having created an iron curtain that shielded the reformation. He blamed the reformation on the prayers of old ladies. He was not one to underestimate the power of prayer!
So, you want to know what to do about declining church membership? You want to know what to do about the pastor your worry about, or perhaps do not get along with? Do you want to know what to do about your friends, family coworkers that haven’t heard of Christ and his death for them? Or perhaps have not yet believed? Your God child? Pray. Pray and let God answer your prayer as he will. But don’t lose heart, God answers prayer.