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(Our sincere apologies for the Nugget that went out blank a few hours ago... Not sure how that happened, but please find the devotional below!)
Last week I told the story of how an entire -- large -- house loaded on a transport truck was blocking the Trans Canada Highway. This was a physical blockage, but sometimes what blocks our path isn’t physical at all!
My older son's PhD research in Chemical Engineering with a specialty in computer modelling, was completely blocked. One aspect of his model refused to behave properly, no matter what he did. He tried multiple different equations. He scoured the research. He tenaciously tried one fix after another, only to have each one ... fail. He struggled with this same problem for over two years, taking him right up to the 2nd semester before he was supposed to graduate.
I shudder to think of how frustrated I might have been if I had been forced to poke along behind the house for even as much as two hours ... let alone two days, two weeks or two months. But more than two years? The mere thought blows my mind. And though I wasn't the one whose PhD career hung on the success of this research, I was the one stressing about it all. Call it a "mom thing" if you will, but seeing my son's efforts end in failure time and time again, while the clock kept steadily ticking closer and closer to the date his funding would run out...well I just couldn't help stressing with him. And the day he finally had a breakthrough (which was just a few days before this was written!) was one of the best I've ever had.
There is lots to be learned from this story. First of all, it kind of reminds me of Jesus' parable of the unjust judge and the persistent widow (See Luke 18:1-8). The widow kept coming to the judge begging for justice. Each time he refused, but she kept on coming back until finally he said, "I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!” (vs. 4-5 NLT). And if a wicked, unjust judge cracks under persistence, how much more our loving Heavenly Father? "So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly!" (vs 7b-8a NLT). The take away for most of us is that we need to be persistent and tenacious in our requests to God. And my son was a good example of this. Where would he have been had it not been for his tenacity to keep on trying?
Jesus ends this parable, however, with an interesting, seemingly random statement: "But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” (Vs. 8b NLT). Yes, persistence and tenacity are good take-aways from this parable, but how can we fully understand a story if we ignore the last line? Isn't this where everyone puts their most important thoughts? What Jesus is trying to help us understand here is this: Just begging isn't enough! Our loving Heavenly Father already knows what we need: "for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!" (Matt. 6:8 NLT). Rather, we must be tenacious about asking Him ... in faith! We need to be continually praying, but our prayers cannot become desperate pleas from a heart that has lost hope! Rather, our persistent prayers need to be rooted in a heart that says, "God will come through when the time is right!"
So if God already knows what we need, and if we know that God's timing is also always right, then what is the purpose of persistent, tenacious prayer?
Going back to my son's 2-year struggle with his research, his persistence resulted in a lot more than unblocking his research! He learned a lot more about his subject than he would have if his research had behaved from the beginning. He learned patience in trying new things. He learned to depend upon God. He learned what it means to never give up, to keep on trying, and these important lessons will stay with him for life.
But this still isn't answering the question: If God already knows what we need, if God's timing is always right, than what is the purpose of persistent, faith-filled prayer?
Prayer is something that we can do, even when life is out of control. It is a sign of faith, for just saying the words demonstrates an element of faith. It is a way to connect us to God and to strengthen our relationship with Him.
But perhaps the most important part is this: Though we do not understand why, in His wisdom, God set prayer as a requirement to move His hand! In fact, our prayers are like “incense” before God: “and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.” (Rev. 5:8b NLT)! The point is, not only does persistent prayer benefit us, but it is seen as incense to God, thus playing a role in the unleashing of His power!
Do you have something blocking your road forward in life? In faith, submit it to the power of persistent, fervent prayer, and then persevere in moving forward. You can be sure that when the time is right, God will move that block. And until then, you will be blessed by the lessons He has to teach you through this road block!
In His love,
Lyn
Lynona Gordon Chaffart
Moderator, Associate Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries
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