Issue 1260 – Please? – September 28, 2023
Look at those eyes! Pretty hard to resist, aren’t they?
The dog is a purebred border collie we once owned, Misty Mountain of Valley Hideaway, or simply Misty for most purposes. She is a bright, energetic dog who is very determined. Those are excellent qualities in a border collie.
In this shot, she is determined to get a piece of my pie. She is pleading with the eyes, and I am sure she is trying to will me into giving her a taste. She failed, but it didn’t stop her from trying again the next time or the next after that.
Never one to give up, she knew to keep coming back to the source. It’s a lesson Christians could remember. Sometimes, our prayer lives could be strengthened (and I include myself in the word “our”).
Sometimes, we throw up a half-hearted prayer, promptly forget about it, and wonder why God doesn’t answer. Sometimes, we don’t even pray and wonder why God isn’t listening.
That isn’t a new phenomena. It’s been happening ever since humanity realized we ought to pray.
We are called to persist in our prayers.
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!'”
And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:1-8
We are to persist in prayer but also called to examine our motives. Sometimes, our prayers are more about our perceived wants and needs rather than for the glory of God. All things are possible with God, provided they align with His will. There are times when we ask for things that are outside of what God desires for us.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. James 4:3
God is sovereign and works all things for the good of those who love him. Knowing that He loves us should encourage us to keep going back to Him in prayer.
Knowing these things, perhaps we can formulate a bit of a prayer strategy.
- Remember to pray – it doesn’t happen if we don’t ask.
- Examine our hearts and motivation. If they are wrong, the answer will likely be no,
- Pray
- Keep on praying until God answers. It might be minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, or even decades. God is sovereign, and His timing is always perfect, even when it does
The Lord answers prayer. Sometimes, the answer is delayed because the picture is much bigger than we can comprehend. Sometimes, it is delayed because our faith needs to be tested and strengthened. Sometimes He answers with “no” or “not yet.”
Have a need? Take it to God.
Pray, Pray. Pray.
Rejoice in all circumstances and pray.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
__________________________________________
Please like and share this post with friends and your circle of influence. Also, feel free to comment.
Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format. Subscribe today https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1
All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2023 KF “Kevin” Corbin Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
___________________________________________
#love #peace #hope #Gleanings #theWord #devotional #gospel #death #trinity #encouragement #Biblestudy #faith #dailyBible #verseoftheday #grace #KevinCorbin #god #life #Jesus #father #son #HolySpirit #grace #mercy #hope #forgiveness #joy #rejoice #eternalLife #death #prayer #prayer #persistence #bordercollie