Persistence in Prayer

I was reading in my devotions this morning in Mark where Jesus is telling his disciples to ask, seek and knock. I have heard this passage many, many times. But I forgot the story before it. Jesus tells his disciples about a man who has company come in the middle of the night and has no food to feed him so he goes to his friend and asks for some food. The friend basically says he is in bed for the night and the door is locked. The man is persistent and finally the friend comes and gives the man some food for his company. Jesus was telling his disciples to be persistent when they ask, seek, and knock.

This story reminded me of a situation recently where I was trying to get in touch with a client because I had some urgent information I needed to give them. This client was difficult to get in touch with. I called them on their house phone and cell phone. I went to their house multiple times. I finally caught the client just as they were pulling into their driveway. I was persistent.

Jesus wants us to be persistent in prayer. He wants us to keep asking and seeking and knocking. Not because he doesn't care, but because He wants us to really care as well. There are so many distractions in the world today. You would think I would never forget to ask for a new job or direction on where to go next in job hunting because I really care about this, but I do. You would think when I suffer with migraines and there have been difficult side effects that I would never stop praying for healing, but I do. I forget, I get distracted... I am human.

The Lord wants us to be persistent so we can be closer to Him and have fellowship with Him.

If you have forgotten to pray for something recently that is heavy on your heart... that's ok... the Lord still remembers. Just keep knocking.