KneEmail - a devotional by Mike Benson associated with Forthright Magazine
Persistance
JESUS TOLD HIS disciples to ask, seek, and knock...
The original text uses words that indicate continuing action. In other words, Jesus said to keep on asking; keep on seeking; and keep on knocking. Our Lord has told us to be persistent in making our requests to the Father for the things we need.
Why does the Lord require us to be persistent in prayer? Is God just being stubborn or is He playing some kind of a game with us? Not at all. Persistence shows what kind of faith we have. God doesn’t always give us what we ask for the first time. If He did, we might think that He had nothing to do with it and that we would have gotten what we wanted anyway. Continuing in prayer gives us time for our trust to be nurtured and to grow.
Persistence in prayer shows our sincerity. By continuing to ask for wisdom, spiritual growth, our daily needs, help, healing, etc., we show God that we are sincere in our prayers. Again, not everything in life comes easily. Those who have endurance to the end will be saved.
Persistence in prayers helps us to get in tune with the will of God. Prayer is more than just asking for what we need or want. Prayer is a communication lifeline with God. Just as we listen to God speak to us in the Bible, we talk with God in prayer. Communication is vital to relationships. When we pray for a need over a period of time our perspective changes and our wisdom grows. We must not just seek to please ourselves, but consider how our request will benefit the Kingdom. If our request is good and right, God will grant our desire.
Ask. Seek. Knock. (Roger Wright)
KneEmail: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Matt. 7:7).