Keep On Asking

Lk. 11:8  "I say to you, though he will not get up and give to him, because he is his friend, still, if he keeps on making his request, he will get up and give him as much as he has need of." (BBE)

I think we all get discouraged at some point in our prayer life when it seems as though our prayers are not being answered.  We become impatient, frustrated, perhaps even angry with God and may finally just give up on our requests.

But Jesus encourages us to do exactly the opposite.  Don't give up, keep on asking.  Some translations of the Bible use the word "importunity" in this verse.  It means to be shamelessly persistent and relentless.  Pressing a matter with a sense of urgency, refusing to be denied.  We are to ask and continue to ask, over and over again  until we receive the answer to our prayer.

Jesus gives the example of a man awakened in the middle of the night by a friend with a need knocking on his door.  And knocking.  And knocking.  The friendly knocker didn't know whether the door would be answered after the first knock or the second or the third.  But he was convinced and never doubted that it would be answered.  The sleeping man finally answered the door only because he determined that his visitor wasn't going away until his need was met.  The friend was not going to be denied.  He was persistent and relentless.  He didn't care that it was midnight on the doorstep of another who had already gone to sleep.  His perseverance was without regard to time, place or circumstance.  Ours should be, too.

If an unwilling man responded to importunity, how much more will a loving, kind and willing God respond to it?  Don't ever give up on anything in your prayer life.  Keep on asking!


Sock Monkey Snippet:  Persevere in prayer without regard to time, place or circumstance.