March Like Jesus
… Being Persistent in Prayer – Part I
Scripture Reading: Matthew 7:7-11
Key Verse: Matthew 7:7
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you”.
Sometimes, as parents, we give our kids what we know is the best for them even though it is not what they asked for. We wish they could trust us and say “thank you” even though they are disappointed; but that seldom happens!
I would hope that we, as Christ-followers, can get to the point that we trust God’s answers, even if it is not what we ask for. Since the Bible tells us that our Father loves to give good gifts to His children, we should know that if our request is in God’s will for our lives, He will give it to us!
If what we request is not in God’s will, we should know that He sees a danger in what we asked and does not want us to be hurt. Finally, we should know that God’s love for us causes Him to delay some answers so He can give us the best.
Jesus tells us to be confident when we are persistent in our prayers that we will receive the answer. Jesus tells us the truth, but in the context of the Father’s loving knowledge of what is best for us.
I have heard people say, “be careful about what you ask for, you may get it”. That does not fit what the Bible reveals as our Father’s character. I do not have to be careful about what I ask for because I know my Father loves me so much that He would never give me something that is bad for me simply because I asked for it.
Our kids ask for many things that, as parents, we know would be terrible for them! Would we ever give it to them simply because our children did not know any better than to ask for it?
A Christ-follower, who is mature in their faith, always ends a prayer request with the words “if it be Your will”. In other words, we must put our Key Verse for today in the context of God’s perfect will, if we are going to pray properly.
I do not want more money if it is not in God’s plan for me. I do not want physical healing if it is not God’s perfect plan for me.
I am persistent in my prayers for God to use me in this world. I am persistent in my prayers for God to protect my family from the harms of this world and the evil one. I believe in persistent prayers, but not demanding prayers.
The Apostle Paul reminds us that God’s will is “good, pleasing, and perfect”, so why would we NOT want God’s perfect answers to our prayers?
Jesus’s “marching orders” are for us to be persistent in our prayers, surrendering our heart to God’s perfect plan!
Father, thank You for hearing my persistent prayers. I know You will give me the perfect answer in each request. Thank You for your loving care! In Jesus’s Name I pray, amen.