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比喻中的这个寡妇有很多名字：麻烦的，讨厌的，气人的，烦人的，恼人的。然而，耶稣称赞了她的执着。她对伸张公义的不懈追求最终说服了法官来帮助她，虽然他并不是真正关心她。

当然，耶稣并不是说神就像故事里的法官那样待我们，或我们必须烦扰神才能获得祂的注意。实际上，正如耶稣指出的，神正正和这位不关心、不公平的法官相反。

然而，持续祷告，是神向我们提出的一个有关祷告的重要课题。神掌管着宇宙。请注意其中每个细节，甚至包括掌管你的头发脱落。（参太 10:30）既然如此，为什么我们还需要祷告呢？神既然知道我们一切的需要，祂的目标和计划也定好了。我们真的还能通过祷告改变神的心意，使结果不同吗？

对这个问题并没有简单的答案，但有几件圣经的教导，我们可以确定。是的，神掌权，我们可以从中获得极大的安慰。更重要的是，神能使用我们的祷告来实现祂的目的。如雅各书五章十六节所说：“义人的祷告大有功效。”

我们的祷告能使我们与神相交，使我们的心思与神的旨意达成一致，也使神的公义和国度降临到地上。所以，让我们持续祷告，相信神必垂听和回应。

The widow in this parable has been called many things: troublesome, annoying, irritating, irksome, pesky. Yet Jesus applauds her for being persistent. Her relentless pursuit of justice eventually convinces the judge to help her, even though he doesn't really care about her.

Of course, Jesus isn't suggesting that God is like the judge in this story, or that we will have to be irritating to get God's attention. In fact, as Jesus points out, God is the opposite of the uncaring, unfair judge.

Persistence in prayer, though, raises an important question about prayer itself. God reigns over the cosmos and pays attention to every detail, including even the hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30). So why would we need to pray at all? God knows all our needs, and his purposes and plans are set. Can we really, then, change God's mind for a different outcome?

There is no easy answer to this question, but we can affirm several things the Bible teaches. Yes, God reigns, and we can take great comfort in that. What's more, God can use our prayers as a means to his ends. As James 5:16 says, "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

Our prayers bring us into fellowship with God and align us with his will, and they play a role in bringing God's righteous and just kingdom on earth. So let's be persistent in prayer, trusting and believing that God hears and answers.