Persistence, Broader

I think I've been functioning with a limited view of persistence. I value persistence a great deal. Not having on overabundance of skill, creativity, or charisma, I rely on persistence to get things done in my life, my ministry, and my leadership. I realize, though, that I see persistence as something that originates in human effort. We persist in our work, in family relationships, in exercise and healthy living, and in a host of other things. Perhaps I don't spend enough time practicing persistence God-ward.

How often do we persist in prayer? I mean "big picture" prayer - inviting God's kingdom to invade and wash over us, our churches, our communities, and the world community. I don't know about you, but I'm too prone to pray once or twice for something, then to let it slide for some other focus. Luke the physician recalls a particularly peculiar parable Jesus tells of an unjust and ungodly judge who is approached repeated by a poor widow seeking some sort of justice in her life. (Luke 18:1-8.) The judge gives not one rat's hind end for the woman or her situation, nor does he care about what's right in the circumstance. Yet he gives her what she wants, because in her persistence she will not stop bothering him. Jesus quickly points out that God is about justice and about what is best and healthiest for each of us, in the value system of the kingdom of God. Shouldn't persistence in approaching God be worth it? (Luke 18:7.) Among other things, the parable invites us to persist in engaging God.

Persistence in prayer is not about wearing God down so God will finally do what we want. God already knows what is needed, and God is already at work. Persistence in prayer, over time, aligns us with God and God's movement. We begin to seek what God wants over and above what we want. How we lift our petitions to God begins to mold and shape us and our prayers God-ward. In time, we begin to see as God sees and realize that prayer is being answered the way it ought to be answered.

A group in our congregation now meets monthly to do nothing more than pray for our church's future and for our fellowship's alignment with that to which God has called us in our mission field here. A small group of pastors in our community meet weekly to seek God's direction and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit for our community. We're starting to see things happen in more ways than I can detail in this quick post.

I'm kind of dancing all around the concept of persistence in prayer. I hope this makes sense. What do you think? I'll see you around the next bend in the river.