What more can be said about prayer? I have lots of books on prayer in my library. Some I have yet to read. So many books… so little time! Talking with church members from my four churches, one comment seemed always to rise-to-the-surface about prayer. People hesitated to take too much of God’s time. After all, He’s so busy with concerns much deeper than theirs. Some felt selfish asking God for whatever it was they needed or were worried about. Isn’t once enough, anyway? Does God get tired with my constant begging for the same things day in and day out?
Answers can be found in Jesus’ parables about the persistent widow and the unjust judge ( Luke 18: 1-8), and the friend who comes at midnight (Luke 11: 5-8). Both parables may have been inspired by two verses found in Isaiah 62. This portion of Isaiah deals with the coming Servant of the Lord, the Messiah. Look at verses 6 and 7. Here we have God’s permission to come to Him whenever, as often as we like, with whatever is on our minds and hearts. No prayer censorship. And you can never, ever wear out your welcome with the Lord! The ‘Open for Business’ sign is always out and lit. And He means it!
From Isaiah 62, the Old Testament, the Bible of Jesus–‘…You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest until…(vs.6-7)’ Isn’t that just the most amazing invitation you’ve ever received? ‘You are hereby welcomed into the presence of God with whatever you want to talk about…’ signed God Himself! ‘Give Him no rest…’
God never tires of us. He’s asked us to come to Him. He neither slumbers nor sleeps. Never a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on His doorknob. A good resolution for the new year would be to spend more time with the Lord and less time trying to figure out His hours of service or what right words to use. Forget that stuff. Come… and ‘give Him no rest’!
Prayer: Dear Lord, how humbling to come to you… at your invitation… for us to spend lots of time together. In this new year I’m going do just that. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Reflections out of time 