Many of you know that my dad has been battling small cell cancer of the rectum. Yesterday he died. While the news devastated those of us who knew and loved him, there is a bright spot in the midst of the sorrow: last week he told my mom he had put his trust in Jesus and had become a Christian. 

People get saved every day. But we never thought my dad would get saved. He was stubborn. He had heard the gospel, understood it, and rejected it for years on end. 

Most of us know someone like my dad -- a friend or relative who is downright hostile toward the gospel. What do we do for someone like this -- for someone who is a real tough nut to crack?

Jesus' answer? You pray and don't give up. 

In Luke's Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples to always pray and never give up. To get his point across, he tells them a parable of about a widow who, day after day, went to an unjust judge and demanded justice. The judge didn't care anything about justice, but gave in to the widow's plea because of her persistence. Jesus said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says, and will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice and quickly."  (Luke 18:6-8)

That widow didn't have a lot going for her. She had little standing in society. She had a judge over her that didn't fear God or care about men. But her persistence paid off. As believers we have a lot more going for us: a favorable standing before our heavenly Father by the blood of Jesus and a Judge who cares about justice. We should be all the more eager to persevere in prayer than that widow who had little hope. But, truth be told, we get worn out. 

Jesus Himself acknowledges this at the end of the parable: "However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). Even when we get ready to give up on that stubborn family member or that impossible situation, God's not ready to give up. It's a mystery : He doesn't need our prayers, but He expects us to turn to Him in prayer. And He doesn't want us to give up. 

My dad was a tough nut to crack, but God's arm was not too short to save. He gets all the glory for saving my dad. And, yet, I know that my mom and countless other people have lifted my dad's name up before God in prayer for decades. Maybe some of you even prayed for his salvation when we put the prayer request on the discussion board. Thank you for your prayers. God saved my dad.

So if there's anyone else on your "impossible" list, don't write them off. Keep on persevering in prayer. 

"The LORD said, 'I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them. . ." (Exodus 3:7-8)