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Day 75 Luke 18:1 Luke 18:1 And he spoke a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth? Do you give up when things don’t go as planned? Jesus told a parable about a woman who continually sought out a judge to avenger her of her adversary, and he did so because he didn’t want her bothering him any longer. Jesus told the people God would avenge his people for their persistent prayer. Does that mean you need to pester God to answer your prayer? No. As Christians, you know God answers prayer in many different ways, yes, no, and wait being the most common. However, there is the yes, that’s also a no, not right now. You might not be ready for what you’re asking for. God’s timing is always perfect. Sometimes you need to wait for the answer. Have you seen the Toyota Christmas commercial about the young boy who wakes on Christmas morning, expecting a new car in his driveway? You see him at different ages in his life, until he’s an adult, and at the urging of his family he looks out the window to see a car in his driveway. The answer for him, wasn’t that it was wrong for him to want a new car for Christmas, but that the timing for the car wasn’t right until he was older and ready for it. What are you asking God for? Be persistent in your prayer. The time might still be a way away, but God will give you your request unless it’s totally bad for you and will do you harm. There’s another answer as well. God wants to give you the desire of your heart, but you don’t ask him. James shows what wrongful asking does for a person and what persistence looks like. James 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (KJV) God wants you to ask for the desires of your heart. He doesn’t want you to go to war over what you want. That doesn’t profit anyone and causes more trouble. However, when you ask God out of a pure heart, it will not only benefit you, but bring glory to God. Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. Don’t ask one time, but be persistent until you get an answer. Let’s pray: Father, many times, I’ve given up asking because I didn’t get what I desired. I understand it might not have been the right time. Help me to ask until the time is right so you will be glorified by giving me the desire of my heart. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 5 November 2018 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay