January 8, 2020
Prayer with Persistence
"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known." – Jeremiah 33:3
Commentary
As Christians on this side of the cross, we have the privilege to meet with God any time or place we wish. Hebrews 4:16 says we may approach the throne of grace with confidence that we may receive what we need. Paul exhorted us to pray without ceasing, such that our hearts would be in constant communion and connection with God. Jesus told a parable of a widow who refused to quit knocking on the door of an unjust judge, and as such, to get her to stop pestering him, he granted her justice so that she would leave him alone. God is much better than the unjust judge. James says He is the Father of the heavenly lights, giving us good and perfect gifts from above. However, just as God never stops pursuing us, He never wants us to stop pursuing Him in prayer.
Have you ever stopped praying because it seemed like nothing was happening? What we choose to do in prayer reveals two things: 1) what is in our hearts, and 2) what we believe about God. Jeremiah 33:3 reminds us we can call out to God at all times, and He will reveal mysteries to us. Because we've been given such an incredible privilege, we must choose to persist in prayer, even when we cannot see what God is doing. When we are tempted to stop praying, we still need prayer to overcome what's in our hearts! We must persist!
Application
• What does the way you pray reveal about your heart? If you see apathy, frustration, or hardness, ask God to replace hardness with gentleness.
• How does the way you pray reveal what you believe about God? If you see any unbelief through lack of prayer, ask God to help you with your unbelief.
Prayer Points
• Ask God to help you desire to pray and be close to Him through prayer.
• Ask God to give you endurance in prayer that you might be like the persistent widow.