Lord, I need to learn persistence in prayer. Many things I do not receive, as James says, because I “do not ask” (James 4:2). But just as often, Lord, I receive not because I ask “amiss” (v. 3, KJV). One of the “amiss” things I do is to pray without persistence.
I am impressed with Abraham’s praying for Lot (Genesis 18). When he reached a certain point in his praying, “the Lord … left communing with Abraham” (v. 33, KJV). The cup of prayer was full. There was no need to ask further. Heaven had acquiesced to the prayer, and all that was needed then was time to make the answer effective on earth.
The cup of prayer fills whenever I pray intensely and abundantly. Thus, in prayer quantity as well as quality is very important. I see now, Lord, why You said, “If two of you shall … ask” (Matthew 18:19, KJV, italics added). Prayer is often accentuated when two pray, and much more when twenty-two or a hundred and two pray. When the cup fills and heaven acquiesces to the prayer, we immediately have assurance in our hearts. That explains, Lord, why I have had “rest” in prayer long before the prayer was answered.
But persistence is hard to manage, Lord. My enemy here is impatience, which quickly leads to discouragement. I need the broad view, the eternal scheme of things. Teach me that my ministeps in prayer are vastly important to the answer, and that instant answers are not always heaven’s ways of doing things. I am advised to stop fretting impatiently and to “wait for the Lord” (Psalm 37:9). It is those who wait on God, the ones who adjust their schedules to His, who “will inherit the land” (v. 9b).
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).
Daily with the King 