Incentives to Keep Praying (Part 3)

Keep on praying because you’re special to God.

My daughters are much more likely to keep on asking me to take them to McDonald’s than they would an acquaintance or even a friend. Why? They know that they have a special relationship with me, which will make any more inclined to hear and answer their persistent request, than an acquaintance or friend would. That is what encourages them to keep asking. It is the same with you and me. When we realize how special we are to God, how much he loves and cares for us, then we are motivated to keep on praying.

Jesus specifically refers to us as "his chosen ones." In other words, you are special to a caring God, so you can expect an answer to your persistent prayers, even more so than the widow in the parable did. If it worked for her, then it is much more likely to work for you. This is an incentive or motivation to keep on praying. God does care and can be expected to respond to our prayers, because of who he is and because of who we are by his grace.

When you understand this, it will change your whole prayer life. I keep on praying because I expect God to listen and respond to my request. I don’t expect him to listen and respond because I have great faith. I don’t expect him to listen and respond because I have fasted or prayed for many hours. I don’t expect to be heard because I’ve been exceptionally righteous or religious. I expect God to hear and respond because he is a wonderful, caring God who loves me and sees me a special. I, like all Christians, am one of his chosen ones, so I just keep on praying.

The Lord will not ignore his children who "cry out to him day and night." He may delay answering our prayers for a time, but he will not "keep putting us off."

In the paparble I shared in our first article, it should be noted that the widow’s request in the parable was for what was right, and that God will not honor our request if they come from wrong motives, no matter how much we may persevere or belief.

James 4:3 says, "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." Wrong motives would include asking for things out of pride, greed, lust, or to satisfy fleshly pleasures. Jesus says in verse 8 that God will see that his people’s prayers are answered "quickly." "Quickly" could also be translated as "suddenly." This expression or word could mean that God will not delay too long in meeting his people’s request or it could refer to the answer coming very suddenly, instead of gradually.

If Jesus were to come this week, would he find faith in your life? Would he find you persevering in prayer? Or would he find that you had quit praying because you do not really believe? I hope that he would find us persisting in believing prayer. We certainly have every incentive to keep on praying.