Based on Luke 18:1-8
Gathered friends, lend me
your ears
I have a tale to tell;
Blesséd is the one who
hears
And learns its message
well.
My tale is of a certain
judge
Who judged a certain city;
A judge who knew no fear
of God,
Nor for his neighbour,
pity.
Now in that city also was
A widow, weak and poor.
With no-one else to fight
her cause,
She banged upon his door.
"Oh help me please, please
help me, Sir!
Yes, help me,
please," she cried.
"For every day I've
suffered much
Since my husband died.
"No food have I, nor
means to farm;
On hand-outs I depend -
Yet still there's one who
steals from me
- Only you can make it
end!
"Take up my cause,
and make him stop,
Avenge me - make it right!
Make him pay back all he
owes.
Please save me from my
plight!"
But the judge's heart was
hard;
He cared not what was just.
And so he sent her on her way
To languish in the dust.
The widow, though, was not
put off
And back she came, ' next
day
To bang and plead and beg
and cry
Until she got her way.
"Oh help me please,
please help me, Sir!
Yes, help me,
please," she cried.
"For every day I've
suffered much
Since my husband died.
"Take up my cause,
and make him stop,
Avenge me - make it right!
Make him pay back all he
owes.
Please save me from my
plight!"
Still unmoved, the judge
but sighed,
And told her to be gone.
But soon enough, again she
tried
And so the scene went on:
"Oh help me please,
please help me, Sir!
Yes, help me,
please," she cried.
"For every day I've
suffered much
Since my husband died.
"Take up my cause,
and make him stop,
Avenge me - make it right!
Make him pay back all he
owes.
Please save me from my
plight!"
For weeks the widow, day
by day,
Continued with her riot
Until at last the judge,
he snapped
"Oh what I'd give for
quiet!"
"Fear of God, nor
care for man
could tempt me to comply.
But help I not, this
woman, I fear,
Might punch me in the
eye!"
And so, at last, the judge
did yield -
The rest I hardly need
tell:
The persistent widow won
her appeal,
Was avenged and all was well.
In this tale there is, of
course,
A lesson for us here -
For when we think our
cries to God
Have fallen on deaf ears.
Think of that judge: a
cruel man
Lacking good intent,
Yet even he, when asked
and asked
Was prompted to relent.
Our God is not cruel, but
just,
And loves us - that is
plain;
Thus it seems, it can't be
that
Our prayers are made in
vain.
When weak and poor we call
to him;
When this earthly life is tough;
When others question - don't
give up!
He'll answer soon enough!
If He seems slow, then we
can trust
He has good cause to stall;
That judgement paused is
done for grace,
That more may hear his
call.
And since we cannot know
the hour,
Let this be our concern:
Will he find faith within
our hearts
That day when he returns?
