Was there magic in the arms of Moses? Why did the Israelites only prevail against their enemy when he had his arms up? They were a sign of encouragement and a reminder that God was with them in this battle. It was an invitation for the Israelites to lift their minds and hearts heavenward. In our own time, we are in great need of similar encouragements. Often, we are called to give that hope.

All Scripture is inspired by God and useful for spiritual and moral formation. This is true, but we must also have a proper understanding of Scripture and the methods it uses to communicate with us. It is not always to be taken literally and is certainly never to be used as a weapon. Scripture is dynamic and adaptive to refine situations, cultures, and challenges.

Believe it or not, Scripture is sometimes humorous. Luke loves to use stories that he knew would connect with the everyday lives of his audience. The story of the unjust judge is a fine example. People would have had experiences with unjust officials. Here Luke uses the story to illustrate the need for persistence in prayer. In the parable, the woman's constant nagging wore down the corrupt judge so that he gave her justice just to get rid of her. Luke invites us to follow this example – not the unjust part, but the persistence. No lackluster or half-hearted prayers will do – storm the gates of heaven!