Today, we consider prayer through the lens of Psalm 17:1–2 and 6.
As a father of four children, it was sometimes difficult to drown out the noise. My children were constantly vying for my attention. If I didn’t listen the first time, they would repeat themselves … again … and again … and again, until I finally give them some focused attention. One son learned that if he didn’t get the desired response when telling me a long story, he would start over and tell me again!
Children’s persistence can sometimes be frustrating for a parent. It is also a reminder of how much our children love us, respect us, and want our approval. It is also how much they need us to provide for their every emotional, spiritual, and physical need. When I think back on the persistence of my children, it brings a smile to my face and reminds me how precious they are.
A mother focuses on her cell phone while holding a child who is about to spill his drink. Another child watches.
Photo by Vitolda Klein on Unsplash
That is the kind of persistence that God desires from us. As children of God, we love and respect God and desperately want His approval; we too desperately need God to provide for our every emotional, spiritual, and physical need. So, we demonstrate this through persistence in prayer.
When you look at how David’s prayer begins in verse 1 of Psalm 17, he asks for God to hear his prayer three times! “Hear,” “attend,” “give ear!” In verse 2, he pleads for God to vindicate him and behold what is right. David reminds himself of how God has justly judged him in the past, but in verse 6, he again calls upon God.
Like a child, he pleads for God’s answer, begs God to mute the TV, and “incline your ear to me; hear my words.” You can feel the childish impulse as David uses long words and phrases to describe the desire of his heart, which is simply crying out, “Dad, Dad, Dad, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, listen to me!”
God, who sees the end and the beginning simultaneously, hears the cries of His children and knows what they represent. God longs for His children to be persistent in our prayers to Him. God longs for us to cry to Him over and over again regarding those petitions that are truly important to us. God wants us to pray to Him like we mean it, like we love, respect, and need Him.
So, let us imitate David and be persistent in our prayers. Let us repeatedly call out to God regarding those things that are truly important to us. Don’t worry about being repetitive. Don’t worry that this is insignificant compared to the larger issues worldwide. Our Heavenly Father wants to hear the pleas of His children.
“So I say to you, ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened.”
(Luke 11:9–10 in the Amplified Bible).
Please Pray: for the students in our afterschool tutoring program that they learn and grow as young people. We also pray that their families might learn to know God better.
Please Thank God: for Amanda Garces and her 5th grade students at Sunshine Elementary. We will be assisting Ms. Garces’ classroom for the school year.
Please Thank God: for Leah’s successful quinceañera.
Please Pray: for Kathy, who is waiting for an organ donation.
Please Thank God: That Keith has found a new job. Pray that Kim may find one soon.
Please Pray: for Mary who has developed invasive melanoma. She is waiting for surgery on October 12.
Please Pray: for Melissa Davis and her two young children who were recently evicted from their apartment.
Please Pray: for Joey Diaz whose home caught fire recently. We thank God that no lives were lost.
Please Pray: for the lost who are near us.
Please Pray: for Kathy Duitsman, who has breast cancer.
Please Pray: for those who serve in this place as they enthusiastically tackle diverse ministries such as the altar guild, food pantry and serving our local school.
Please Pray: for Julie, who is battling brain cancer and 4 additional tumors.
Please Pray: for Joy, who is receiving chemo treatments.
Please Pray: for William Izzo, that God would strengthen him.
Please Thank God: for the health of all the other congregations that worship in our facilities.
Please Pray: for Joe and his struggles with addiction.
Please Pray: for those who struggle with housing needs.
Please pray: for all those who are out of work.