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Never A Nuisance — 9/29/2026 10:00 AM
Today's speaker is Dr. Philip Miller, Senior Pastor of The Moody Church in Chicago, IL. Dr. Miller teaches us from Luke 18:1-17 that we can come boldly to our Heavenly Father.
Notes
Never a Nuisance but Wondrously Wanted
Today in chapel, Dr. Phillip Miller taught from Luke 18:1–17 about how God feels when we come to Him in prayer. We are never a nuisance or a bother to God, despite His importance. God is attentive to each one of us and will always welcome our pining, pleading, and pestering.
Pining for Justice: Luke 18:1–8
Like the persistent widow who pleads with the judge, we are to bring our pleas for justice to God without ceasing. If even the unjust judge rewards the widow with justice just so she'll stop bothering him, how much more will the just and loving God who chose us reward us with the justice we seek? Dr. Miller tells us we mustn't grow weary in waiting but cry out day and night as we wait for the return of Christ.
Pleading for Mercy: Luke 18:9–14
Dr. Miller asks the student body: "Do you ever feel like you keep confessing the same sin and that God is tired of hearing it?" Through the parable of the pharisee and the tax collector, he shows us that God will never tire of our pleas for mercy. Just as the tax collector's humility justifies him before the Lord, our humble pleas justify us. God always wants to hear our honest confessions and offer us mercy.
Pestering for Attention: Luke 18:15–17
The children come to Jesus eager and unafraid to demand His attention. Like little children, we can disregard the "protocol" or "politeness" we learn as adults, instead having faith that God is interested in us and all our thoughts. Our relationship with God is not transactional; God does not "keep score" or demand formality from us. Instead, God desires that we bring everything to Him. We will never waste God's time; we instead receive His love.
Do Not Fear Rejection
As we grew up, we learned to fear rejection. Now we avoid risks in speaking with others, and as a result we see the God far above us as too important for our pining, pleading, or pestering in prayer. Dr. Miller reminds us, however, that God's "face shines when He hears your voice." He dares us not to fear rejection by the all-powerful God who loves us but instead to bring everything to God in prayer.