1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Anyone who knows me personally or has been reading Something Special for You for a while, will know that one of my prayers had been for a certain vehicle. It took nearly 20 years of prayers and a move half way across the country for that prayer to finally be answered a couple of years ago – just keep praying. A friend of mine was given a scripture to hold on to while she and her prayer partners prayed for a family member to return to the Lord. I’ve lost track of time but I guess it has been 20 years or more and we just keep praying. Not unlike Dory from Finding Nemo who throughout the film said, “just keep swimming, just keep swimming.” Scripture tells us to just keep praying.
When the disciples weren’t sure how to pray, in the powerful way that Jesus did, He taught them a model prayer – we know it now as The Lord’s Prayer. It is a prayer that rises above being a simple prayer. It can be seen as an act of worship, a desire not for our will but for God’s will, a cry for mercy and provision and a call for protection against the one who seeks to take our lives rather than give us life. Early church fathers like Augustine used to say this prayer at least three times a day, a practice I follow myself.
God is not a wish grantor. We can’t just ask for things we want and expect them to magically appear. God does find joy in giving us good gifts – but they are usually the gifts He desires for us to have and in His timing. Sometimes what we ask for in prayer gets a very sound no from Him. When Jesus is praying in the garden just before his arrest. He prays a painful and stress filled prayer three times: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). We all know that the Father’s will was done. The apostle Paul also pleaded with the Lord three times to have the thorn he’s been given removed. The response he got? “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Clearly God says no sometimes, maybe more times than we would like. God also says yes –sometimes right way and sometimes it takes years. I suspect that most of the time it just seems like He isn’t listening, because we don’t get that definite answer. It is what we experience as a lack of response that causes us to doubt. That silence in my opinion should be seen as a just wait, as a just keep praying time. See ultimately prayer is meant to be an ongoing conversation with the One who made us and knows everything about and still wants to have a relationship with us. Prayer is a conversation so sometimes we speak and sometimes we must listen.
The prophetess and widow Anna never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying” (Luke 2:36-37) – just keep praying.
Want your church to grow and thrive? “Devote yourself to scripture, fellowship, of sharing meals and to prayer” (Acts 2:42) – just keep praying.
Want a strong faith, that doesn’t doubt even when God seems silent? “Put on the Armor of God and pray in the Spirit on all occasions will all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:11, 18) – just keep praying.
For me I am praying about what the Lord would have me do next for Him, it’s been a year since I left God’s provided position so I’ll just keep praying. I don’t know what you are praying for, what is causing doubt in your life, what frustration you may be feeling if God hasn’t answered that prayer. So I can just encourage you to read his word and just keep praying.
A Prayer
Our Father – You reign over all creation from the throne room of heaven. You alone are worthy of our praise and worship, Your name inspires awe and wonder. Your kingdom is coming; is here even now so let you will be done in our lives as it is in heaven. Thank you for giving us the things we need to live and grant us strength and peace in these troubling times. Thank you for your forgiveness and help us by Your Spirit to forgive those who have wronged us. Keep us from falling into the traps this world sets for us and protect us from the one who wants to take us for You. Amen. Help us to just keep praying. Amen
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