Today we were pondering persistence in prayer using two stories from Luke: the "friend at midnight" and the "persistent widow" and I used some stories, personal and otherwise as illustrations to what I said.

Here is a video that spoke perfectly into the context - at least in my opinion...

Derek Redmond never achieved his dream of Olympic gold, there was no fairy tale ending, but he didn't give up, helped by his Dad he completed that race and went on to build a new career in basketball.  I liked the image of the Dad rushing down to assist his son - and said I think that God is like that.

We also used this story of a grass roots member of the Liberal Democrats as a contemporary example of the kind of thing alluded to in the parable of the persistent widow.  For the record, I do not intend to infer that any political leader is the 'unjust judge'!  More that systems are flawed and that persistence is needed in the quest for justice.

It all seemed reasonably well received, and I was certainly justified in my decision to abandon the carefully prepared script and 'just talk' using a couple of personal stories as illustrations for the 'friend at midnight' and to recognise that acceptance that what you dream of may not happen is not the same as giving up.

Now it's time for some lunch!