If you’re like me, you’ve given up too quickly when it came to prayers for certain matters.
Perhaps you prayed for a few weeks about a certain health need and when it didn’t improve — or perhaps even worsened — you just figured God had already set His mind on how things were to be and you gave up.
Perhaps your prayers ceased after a couple of months regarding a desired better job, or a teen child’s return to hormonal normalcy in his or her behavior.
The fact is that we’ve all thrown in the prayer towel too early on too many occasions.
What are major concerns in your life now for which you are praying? Are you on the verge of giving up in your prayers?
I deeply desire to become more effective in leading my congregation in faith development and fruitfulness. As I should.
But in view of the fact that I’m not as successful as I should be — at least according to what I sense should be happening — I clearly need to pray more so that I’ll understand more and be empowered more and accomplish more.
What MUST not happen is my accepting the status quo.
This topic came to mind this morning while reading from the One-Year Bible.
Here’s what Jesus said in Luke 18:1.
“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up….”
The following verses talk of a widow who had a conflict with somebody who was giving her a really hard time. The local judge — a non-believer, Jesus said — didn’t want anything to do with her and he ignored her.
For a time.
But because she wouldn’t stop pleading with the judge to intercede in her behalf, he relented and granted her the relief she sought.
He knew she wasn’t going to give up until she got the help she needed.
That’s the point of the parable for believers, Jesus said.
If what we are praying for is a genuine need rather than a nice “want,” we shouldn’t have a deadline for prayer. Needs ARE important and God wants to see how important they — and He — are to us
Please…. pray…. don’t give up.
If it is a need, it will be met eventually.
We just have to keep praying.
As always, I love you
Martin
