Prayer, Persistence, and Chocolate

In Devotional, Uncategorized by Andy Comer

Persistence. I could use a lesson from my 3 year old. When she asks for something (such as a chocolate bunny the size of her face), it’s normal for her to make her request known at least 42 times. “Daddy can I have a…Daddy can I have a…Daddy can I have a…” If you are a parent, you can relate.

My first response is always a simple, “no.” Then I must progress to more sophisticated replies to rebuttal her more sophisticated requests. “Daddy I was good today, and did all of my chores. Please can I have a…” It’s hard to ignore such an innocent request from a child I so very much love and adore. So I take her case to the jury – her mother.

As I seek the counsel of my closest advisor, we deliberate the matter until a decision is made. I then bring in the plaintiff to deliver my verdict, “you may eat the chocolate bunny.”

How does this happen? There are two things that go into a decision when your child makes a request: your love for the child and your desire for what is best.

I believe the same is true in our relationship with our heavenly Father. Maybe you are at a place where you are making a request. And it’s not even for something silly, but something serious.
– You’re asking God to heal a friend with cancer.
– You’re asking God to help you get a job.
– You’re asking God to restore a broken relationship.
– You’re asking God to save a lost person.

As you make these request known to God, you begin to question why He doesn’t answer them as quickly as you’d like. You may even begin to present the request in a different way. Yet God is silent. So you begin to think that God’s silence is a denial of your request.

Let me encourage you – Don’t mistake God’s silence for God’s denial.

At one point, the disciples looked to Jesus and asked, “Lord, teach us to pray.” After giving what we know today as the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus tells an interesting story about a guy who asks his friend for bread in the middle of the night. Jesus goes on to say, “I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.” (Luke 11:8)

God is challenging me personally to be persistent in my prayers. Not just to throw up an occasional request here or there about the current issues I’m facing. But to persistently lift up certain request to my heavenly Father, and patiently wait for Him to answer.

There are 2 things I know: God loves His children and He knows best!
Somehow, when God’s love collides with His desire for what is best, my prayers get answered. Maybe not in the exact way I hoped. Or let me put it this way…I don’t always get the chocolate bunny.