Persevere in Prayer

Luke 11:9-13 (New Living Translation)

9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

These verses come in the context of Jesus teaching on prayer. Jesus moves from teaching us how to pray into encouraging us to keep on praying. He tells us:

Keep on asking!
Keep on seeking!
Keep on knocking!

Keep on keeping on - don't stop. Pray without ceasing.

How often do we stop seeking God because the answers don't arrive within our designated time-frame? - too often. Giving up in prayer has become our habit!
Perhaps this is why Jesus encourages us to persevere.

Jesus (the Son) then discloses vital information about the character of God (the Father). Jesus knows what he's talking about because his whole life is in dee intimacy with the father. He tells us that God desires to give to us even more than other fathers - even an evil father will give to their kids. Interesting that Jesus refers to 'evil fathers' - perhaps he's aware that we have created mental barriers in our minds towards God because of our hurts and disappointments. Jesus knows that we have each resented God, questioned God and doubted who he is - we have at times thought of him as 'evil', mean and harsh.

Yet Jesus shows us a different Father - a Father who will give if we keep on asking. A father we will find when we seek (cf, the lost son - luke 15). A Father who will open doors when we keep on knocking. A Father who will give us his very own Holy Spirit if we ask.

Are we asking, seeking and knocking to the Holy Spirit's presence and power in our lives?
How ardent is our desire for God's presence in our lives?
Where do we need to fix our relationship with God so that we can come to him as loving Father?
Will we persever in our talking with God until we see answers come down?

“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened"

Our reality as a painful place

Tonight I feel I want to write but don't know where it's heading. I have 5 minutes and that's not much time, so time is wasting with this pre-amble.

I sometimes wonder where faith is taking me: I know that ultimately it's eterniy with God and that will be awesome. Moving from one place to the next leaves a hole in us where we are missing places and people. The emotional and psychological attachments that we have to them can be strong, and we often underestimate them.

Having said this, sometimes we need to go. Our feet move and our stuff moves with us, but our hearts are torn. Sometimes this tearing of the heart-strings is painful and it's not easy to bear that pain. Yet in following what we sense God leading us into we (at times) will experience pain. Our telling of God's story and our response in faith often denies the pain we feel. I feel that this is a shame because I know from experience that God meets us in our pain.

So what am I saying. I guess I'm trying to encourage you to take your pain - your torn heart - to Jesus' feet. Pour out your tears to him if you have to (wash his feet with your tears) - I'm sure that Jesus said that is a beautiful thing. "Religious" christians may reject us as weak and unfaithful, but Jesus will never turn us away - he's looking for our lives to be given to him in complete reality - even when our reality is a painful place.

all change to missional living

Well we've moved. Following Jesus isn't always settled - it is active and that activity can take us into new situations. we find ourselves in London after a whirlwind few months. The tornado landed us in Stanmore and there's no way back to Kansis for this dorothy!!

We've now begun a new job, have a new house, new neighbours, and the kids will start a new school (or preschool). New things can be difficult, there's no doubt about it, but on the other hand new situations present us with new opportunities to live out our faith as Jesus has shown us.

My prayer is that the mission of God would be lived out in our lives as we adjust and as we meet new people. May God's kingdom come with us and extend in grace and love towards our neighbours.

Perhaps you too are facing new situations, challenging experiences or meeting new people. Let not your hearts be troubled - perhaps God is working in and through you to broaden your understanding of Missional living.

May we live our lives to the Glory of God as we seek his kingdom come here amongst our neighbours as in heaven.