Being A Persistent Pray-er

"Today's Devotion" For March 3, 2005

Read: Matthew 15:21-28
Luke 18:1-8

BEING A PERSISTENT PRAY-ER

"Pray without ceasing."(I Thess. 5:17)

One of my more interesting memories of childhood is people telling me I was "stubborn." I use the term "interesting," because, as I get older, the term was most often used for the "engaging" manner in which I kept after something I wanted--even when Mom or Dad said, "No!" I can remember my mother getting so exasperated with my persistent and "stubborn" refusal to take "No" for an answer, that she would jump all over me. Now, if you know my mother, you know that getting her "ticked off" took some real effort on my part. She'd finally tell me in no uncertain terms that "No" meant "No." No more questions; no more "begging"; no more "nonsense." Of course my dad was even tougher than that and it took a great deal more subtlety than I was capable of to get what I wanted. Even more disheartening was watching my youngest sister and little brother go to work on Dad. They always seemed to get the things accomplished with him that I never could, and, worst of all, he never seemed to get irritated with them as he did with me. Perhaps this is a familiar picture.

As the old saying goes, "the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree." That same persistent "stubbornness" that my parents got from me is quite evident in my children. Each of them, in his or her own way, are very persistent in their efforts to get what they want and accomplish their goals. I can tell you that the oldest ones were the ones that got me the most irritated, while the youngest ones, either by difference of delivery or my own "tiredness," seem to get more out of me than I care to think about sometimes. Of course I'm certain they wouldn't agree--I'm also certain the oldest one would agree. Regardless, what pays off for all of them in the end is their persistence in following up on what they believe is important for their lives.

There are times, however, when such persistence really does turn into "stubbornness" and selfishness. When that happens, we perceive such behavior as obnoxious and tend to react with greater negativity. We get turned off by such persons and are most likely to ignore them. Sadly, when we experience this too often we're likely to turn off those persons who are truly in need and are seeking our help. On the surface, it appears that the Canaanite woman in Matthew's and Luke's accounts is seen in that light by the disciples and even by Jesus. Jesus intimates that she's unworthy of His attention and that she's the equivalent of a dog because she isn't of the people of Israel. With the press of so many people's needs who were of Israel, it appears as if Jesus is pushing this "Gentile" woman away.

However, the picture we get is both a marvelous picture of faith and a lesson in being a "persistent pray-er." This woman is a person of great faith and trust in God. She's a woman who dearly loves her daughter, on whose behalf she would go to the ends of the earth on her knees to save her if she had to do so. She is a "persistent pray-er" on behalf of her daughter and isn't put off by the disciples' obvious disdain for her. Her love for her daughter is so great that she's willing to weather that disdain to get to Jesus. However, I'm pretty certain she didn't expect the response she got from Jesus. Nevertheless, she's a woman of great faith and a "persistent pray-er." She's not going to be put off, even by the Lord, so she responds to His challenge to her by declaring that she's willing to receive only the "crumbs" of "leftovers" of His grace, mercy, and love. Jesus' response is one of compassion and love for one of God's children. He's not willing for her to receive just the "fragments from the master's table." Instead He declares her faithful. He heals her daughter. Her persistency in prayer, carried by her faith in her Savior, pays off. Her example also encourages us to never give up on prayer. Trusting that our Father in heaven hears our prayers for the sake of Jesus, we live a "persistent" prayer life, filled with confidence in God's grace, mercy, and love. How wonderful for us to also hear from the lips of our Lord, "...great is your faith. Let it be to you as you desire."(v.28b)

Prayer: Father, You have promised that whatever I ask of You in Jesus' name You will give it to me. You also remind me that You answer my prayers according to Your time and Your purpose, and not mine. By the power of Your Word and Spirit, continue to work such faith in my heart that I may be a "persistent pray-er," as was the Canaanite Woman, coming to You with all my heartfelt needs with total faith and trust in Your willingness and promise to answer my prayers according to Your Will. Help me to pray for those things which are good and right in Your sight and to "pray without ceasing." knowing that You will hear my every word and answer in a way that is good for me. Give me the strength of faith to receive Your answers to my prayers with joy and thanksgiving because Your answers are always for my good, even if they're not what I want. Hear my prayer, gracious Father, for the sake of Jesus' in whose precious name I pray. Amen.
************************

--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.