November 16, 2020

Have you ever tried to learn a new skill, but really struggled at mastering that skill? How did you react, did you give up on learning the skill, or did you keep trying? When I was in my mid-30s, one of my friends asked me if I would try to learn how to play ice hockey with him. Playing ice hockey was not something I had ever given much thought to, but given the success of the Blackhawks at the time, and being a competitive person, I figured why not give it a shot. When I first started, I could barely stand up on my skates. However, I kept at it, and within a few months I could skate pretty well. Within a couple of years, I had become much better, and found a new activity that I really enjoy. As the old saying goes, persistence pays off. But what about our persistence in prayer?



Jesus tells us that “ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Luke 11:9-10. If we go to the Lord in prayer, he will answer our prayers. However, we need to make sure we take time to pray. We need to 1 ask, seek, and knock in order for the Lord to act. We need to be persistent in our prayer life. Even when we are busy, we need to make prayer our priority. Jesus teaches us that “If a son asks for bread from any father among you will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:11-13. If those of us on earth know to give good things to those we care for, imagine how much more the Heavenly Father will give us. God has the power to do everything, and he knows what we need, but we still need to ask him for those things in prayer.



Mark Anderson