Persistence
“Persistence Prayer” - In the Bible, Gospel of Luke, Chapter 11, Christians are urged by Jesus to be “Persistent PRAY-ERS”. In a parable Jesus told of a man who had a friend come begging to borrow bread to feed a visitor. It was late at night and he didn’t want to get up and be bothered, but because of the neighbor’s PERSISTENCE, he got up and gave him whatever he needed. The point is Persistence, said Jesus; God knows what you need, but God likes for His children to come to Him and ask. “Ask Him.” He said, “If you, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” Here in Luke’s gospel, Jesus’ disciples observed the Master’s Prayer life and came to Him after He had been praying in a certain place and asked Jesus something everyone of us should ask Him; “Lord, Teach Us to Pray.” They said, “John taught his disciples to Pray, - won’t you?” So Jesus taught them what to pray and how to pray. He said, when you pray say “Father” or “Our Father,” Hallowed be your name” - “as you are Father, is Holy!” When we sing, “Blessed Be the Name of the Lord”, we can sing as the second verse, “Holy is the Name of the Lord!” The Lord is so holy and His name is so holy they could not speak or pronounce His name and so used the term “Adonai” or “Lord.” (Greeki “Kurios”). But one of Jesus’ most precious teachings, I think, is that we can call God “Father”. No longer some distant, un-reachable, un-knowable being - But, Jesus said, “You can call Him “Father”, close, intimate, loving. Then Jesus went on to mention some things we could ask for: His Kingdom to come - here - in our hearts and lives, and His will to be done - as in heaven! He said we could pray for our needs; Daily Bread and anything else we truly need, and for forgiveness; we certainly need that! And for a Forgiving Spirit - we especially need that, for our forgiveness is involved in it. “Don’t give up,” Jesus said, Be persistent in your prayers. “Ask, seek and knock”, for God always hears.
Blessings!
Rev. Phil Erwin, First Presbyterian Church
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