Pray Persistently

During this season of sappy love songs and gushy Valentine’s cards, I’ve been contemplating how to better relate to God my Father. My love for him has grown greatly over the past years — expressed mainly in praise and thanksgiving. Those come easily as I contemplate how very good God has been to me.

However, I do find another aspect of relating to God harder. Frankly, the story Jesus tells in Luke 18 has always baffled me. Why do we need to bother God our Father? Isn’t that just impertinence?

Yet, isn’t that what our Lord is telling us to do here?

First, our Father is not an old grandfather, hard of hearing. Neither is he unrighteous, like the judge pictured in the parable. Our good, good Father is always attentive to the needs of his children.

Why do we need to persist then? Persistence is not “pestering” God to do things our way. Continuing in prayer shows God that we trust him and are willing to wait on his good timing. It shows him that we believe that he knows what is best for us. And our faith opens the floodgates of God’s grace and goodness to us.

So, during this month that glorifies human love, let us freely express our love and devotion to our God. Let us also express our faith in him by persistently asking and waiting on the one who loves us more than we could ever know!

Father, thank you for always hearing my prayers. Thank you for your faithful love that never lets me go. I rejoice in your love and goodness today! Amen.

Go Deeper — Take some time today to express your love to your Heavenly Father. Take another moment to pray for his will to be done in specific areas of your life and that of others. He does hear, he does care, and he will answer in his time!