Saturday, April 4, 2009

Shameless persistence

Do you have it? I'll admit that I fall short...

Yet that is what Jesus told us we are to have when approaching God in prayer.

"Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: 'Suppose you went to a friend's house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 'A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.' And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, 'Don't bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can't help you.' But I tell you this -- though he won't do it for friendship's sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.

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. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." Luke 11:5-10

Another translation I have reads:

"I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs." Luke 11:8


The word "impudence" translated from Latin means "not modest, not ashamed."

So...we are to approach the Throne with our prayers - our needs - with persistence and without shame for that persistence.

Is that how you pray?

I've got some work to do...

3 comments:

Dawn said...

Me, too!

Tamela's Place said...

Hello gigi,

I have been soo persistent at times that i truly believe the Lord answered just so i would shut-up! lol! But i am totally serious about this, I believe that our faith can truly shine through and apprehend when we are persistent and go after God with a desperate heart! I wrote a poem years ago and titled it a "Desperate heart"

Maybe i will share it sometime!

In Christ Jesus, love you sister!

Tamela:)

Gigi said...

Yep Tamela...that's what Jesus' parable taught - that the door was opened, not out of friendship, but so that the "knocker" would GO AWAY!!

In my prayer life, there have been many times when I've said, "I've taken it to the Throne and left it with the Lord" and let it go at that.

After my quiet time this morning and studying that parable, I am determined to become shamelessly persistent!