Be Persistent

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ~~Luke 18:1 NIV

Each morning when I wake up, I sit on the couch with a cup of coffee to read the scriptures and pray. The other morning, my cat kept jumping up next to me, walking around me and meowing. This behavior was not typical, but I tried to dismiss it as I was attempting to have my “quiet time.” But she kept being persistent to the point that she jumped on the arm of the sofa, meowed, moved closer to my face, and swatted at my mouth with her paw. She gently tapped my lips whiling meowing. Not alert yet as I was still working on my first cup of coffee, I dismissed her odd behavior as cute.

However, when I got up to move about the house, she followed me to every room rubbing against my legs and meowing. I finally asked her what she wanted. (Yes, I believe we can talk to the animals and I do talk to mine.) As I walked to the kitchen to refill my coffee cup, she stopped by her water bowl and meowed. I keep the lights dim and the cat water bowl is dark blue, so I could not tell if water was available or not. Stooping over, I felt that the bowl was empty. “Oh, you need some water.” At the sound of running water, the other two cats showed up also. All that time, she was petitioning me for a drink of water. She knew what she needed and she knew who to ask.

We also have basic needs for food, water, clothing, shelter and good health. Just as the cat was persistent in asking me for her need, we need to be persistent in asking the Lord for our needs. I can’t explain the reason why sometimes He answers right away and other times He waits. He is sovereign and knows what is best. He never sleeps so He does not need the first cup of coffee. He simply knows what is best. And we’re to keep praying.

Jesus shared a parable in Luke 18 “to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” A persistent widow kept asking an unjust judge for justice against her adversary. Then Jesus said in Luke 18:6-8, "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?"

Will He find people praying? If an unjust judge will grant justice to a persistent widow, why would we not believe that God, the Father, the Just Judge see to it that we’re taken care of? HE will!

Like my cat petitioned on behalf of herself and her “roommates,” I’m petitioning our Father for our country, our families, our marriages, our health, and our finances. We have an adversary that roams around like a lion seeking someone to devour, so let’s be sober and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8). Let’s be persistent in prayer—not giving up.

Engrafted by His Grace--