The whole lesson, I think, is found in the power of prayer. What moved the judge to grant the widow's request? It was her importunity. But he did this only to get rid of her. It, however, shows what earnestness will do even with an unfeeling man. Here the comparison comes in. If an unfeeling man, who has no reverence for God and no regard for the welfare of others, can be influenced to regard the petition of a poor widow, though from a selfish motive, because she will not be put off, what may we not expect to do by prayer when our Father in heaven is ever ready to hear and answer prayer? He invites us to pray. He says: "Pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." We must by no means lose sight of the one great point in the comparison, and that point is the widow's EARNESTNESS. Prayer, without earnest feelings of want and dependence upon God, is but a form of words, and no prayer at all. But let us notice the point in her prayer: "Avenge me of mine adversary." Who her adversary was we have no means of knowing, nor how he became her adversary. But we are told who the Christian's adversary is. Peter tells us in these words: "Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." The word AVENGE means to conquer or destroy an enemy, for the purpose of securing tranquility to the party avenged. In this sense Moses _avenged_ the children of Israel on the Midianites. In the same sense Ahimaaz said: "Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the Lord hath avenged the king of his enemies." I think you are now prepared to understand what the Lord means by the words: "And will not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily." It is now understood that the DEVIL, the very vilest and worst of all tramps, is the Christian's adversary. But God has promised to avenge him, if he will call upon him in that spirit of earnestness which is deaf to denial, such as the widow had. We must not forget, however, that God, in all he has ever done for man in the way of avenging him of his enemies or adversaries, required man's assistance. As Paul puts it, we are coworkers with God, and so must we ever be.