By the Rev. Micah Krey
Revised Common Lectionary reflection for Proper 24, Year C
October 19, 2025
Key Verse: “Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.” — Luke 18:1
Stewardship often focuses on the tangible (time, talent, treasure), but these readings draw our attention to a more interior kind of stewardship: the stewardship of persistence. Faith, after all, isn’t measured only in moments of triumph but in the willingness to keep showing up, to keep wrestling, praying, and trusting, even when the outcome is unclear.
In Genesis 32, Jacob wrestles through the night with an unknown opponent, refusing to let go until he receives a blessing. The struggle leaves him limping, yet renamed and renewed. This is a picture of faithful perseverance. Stewardship, at its heart, means holding fast to the promise that God’s blessing and presence are found even in the struggle. The work of faith (especially in ministry and community) is rarely easy. Sometimes the most faithful act is refusing to walk away.
Jesus’ parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1–8) gives this idea flesh and urgency. The widow keeps coming before an unjust judge until he relents, not because he is righteous, but because she refuses to give up. Her persistence embodies faith that will not be silenced. Jesus uses her example to teach that disciples are called to “pray always and not lose heart.” Stewardship of faith is not about neat results but about sustained trust in God’s justice, even when the systems of the world seem to ignore our cries.
Both Jacob and the widow model tenacity. Their persistence is not born of arrogance or self-reliance, but of a deep awareness that blessing and justice come from God. In an age when attention spans are short and faith often feels fleeting, this kind of endurance is countercultural. The Church, too, must practice this stewardship of persistence, continuing to serve, to advocate, to worship, even when fatigue sets in.
Psalm 121 reassures us that this persistence is sustained by grace, not grit. “The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in.” We are not alone in the struggle; God guards our way, even when the night is long.
In a culture of quick fixes and instant gratification, these readings remind us that stewardship is a long, persistent action in the same direction. Faithful persistence is not stubbornness, it is hope in motion. It is the church showing up again and again to care, to pray, to wrestle, to love, especially in the most difficult times.
To be stewards of persistence is to trust that God is present in the wrestling, that prayer changes hearts, and that faith lived over time, reveals the very blessing Jacob demanded: God’s face among us.
Preachers have an opportunity this week to name the struggles of the church, the world, and all who are weary from waiting. We can thank those who persistently give, serve, and pray – the saints who quietly embody this long obedience of faith. And we can invite others to join the work, trusting that even small acts of endurance matter. When we join our voices and actions together, our collective persistence becomes a living testimony: the faith of the community itself becomes the prayer that will not give up until blessing and justice are made known among us.
In Worship
This theme of persistence can be highlighted in worship through repetition and rhythm. Use prayers and litanies that echo the language of “keep us steadfast,” “help us not lose heart,” or “teach us to wrestle faithfully.” Hymns such as “Guide Me Ever, Great Redeemer,” “Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” or “O God, Our Help in Ages Past” reinforce this spirit of endurance. Prayers of intercession might include petitions for persistence in advocacy, hope, and compassion, especially where justice feels far off. Consider using intentional repetition within a prayer to evoke holy persistence. For example:
“Help us to feed the hungry.
Help us to feed the hungry.
Help us to feed the hungry.”
Such repetition can jar the ear, mirroring the persistence of faith and the ongoing call to act with steadfast love.
Worship with Youth
Youth know what it means to face frustration and waiting. Explore persistence through storytelling or journaling. Ask: “What’s something you’ve stuck with even when it was hard?” or “Where have you seen God show up after a struggle?” Use Jacob’s wrestling story to illustrate a faith that holds on, even when there’s struggle. Pair it with the widow’s story to show prayer not as magic, but as an act of ongoing trust. Create a prayer wall where youth can write and post their prayers. Invite them to write as many as they can think of on their own, then gather similar prayers together as a group to show the power of persistence when our prayers join. Encourage youth to see their faith practices (prayer, kindness, advocacy) as long-term acts of stewardship and trust in a God who always shows up, even when the wait is long.
Worship with Children
Sometimes we have to keep going, even when things are hard or take a long time. Ask the children: “When have you had to keep trying at something?” or “What helps you keep going when things feel tough?”
In today’s stories, Jacob doesn’t give up when he’s struggling, and a woman keeps asking for fairness until she is heard. Both show us what faith looks like when we keep trusting that God is listening.
You could make a simple “persistence chain.” Give each child a strip of paper to write or draw one way they can keep doing good (like being kind, helping at home, or praying for others) and link them together into a paper chain. Hang the chain in worship as a reminder that God holds all our efforts together, and that faith grows when we keep showing up with love. If adults join in, see how far it stretches, showing how shared prayer and persistence can reach even farther into the world.
Previous reflections for Proper 24, Year C:
2019 – Claiming an audacious and tenacious faith
2016 – Grappling with the divine
2013 – Pester, pester, pester
2010 – Why persistence matters
Leave a Reply