Perseverance in Prayer
Reading: Luke 11:5-14; 18:1-8; Revelation 8:1-4
Perseverance in prayer is based on God’s goodness and righteousness. Disciples of Christ do get weary, lose heart and get discouraged (Matt 11:28-29; Luke 18:1; Heb 12:3).
A. God’s goodness It is expected in Middle Eastern hospitality that the host entertains his friend even when he comes in late. Having no bread in his own home, he asks with importunity his neighbouring friend for bread even past sleeping hours. Importunity’ also means ‘shamelessness’.
Christ’s disciples can ask God with importunity or shamelessly for all of God’s good things since He did not withhold His Holy Spirit from us (Lk 11:13).
Christ’s disciples can learn to pray like Him by participating in the priestly prayer aided by the Holy Spirit. Ask the Father with confidence based on the clear promises and purposes of God as written in the Bible.
B. God’s righteousness If the unrighteous human judge can give in to the persistence of an aggrieved widow, how much more will the righteous God attend swiftly to the persecuted disciples of Christ (Luke 18:1-8).
The maturing children of God are commanded to pray for their enemies. They are to imitate the example of Christ. Leave vengeance to God: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
C. Prayers of Christ’s disciples are – a sacrifice of praise to God (Heb 13:15) – a sweet incense to God (Rev 8:1-4)
Our lives are to be offered to God as a spiritual service in every area of our lives. “In Him we move and have our being.”
Further reading: David W. Gooding, When Prayer is Difficult – Three Studies on What the Lord Promises to Us
Elder Yoong Yuen Soo
