Persevere in Prayer

I think you'd agree that perseverance is a tremendous quality for someone to have. If you think of your favourite movie, the plot almost certainly involves a hero persevering against impossible odds to win the day. And yet perseverance is a muscle that we hope we never to have to exercise, because we only need it when we're faced with adversity. In 19th-century England, George Müller cared for over 10,000 orphans—yet he never once asked for money. Instead, he brought every need to God in prayer. At times, there was no food for the children, yet he'd pray calmly, thanking God in advance. One morning, as they sat at the table with empty plates, a baker knocked on the door with fresh bread, saying he'd felt led by God to bake during the night. Müller once said, "The great point is never to give up until the answer comes." And he never did. There have been times in our ministry when we haven't had the funds to keep going. At one stage, the unpaid bills amounted to 40% of our annual donations. We prayed and prayed. At the last minute, my phone rang. It was a man who wanted to donate exactly that amount on that day. Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. (NRSV) Why can we rejoice in hope? Because God gives us a certain hope of an eternity with Him through faith in Jesus. Why can we be patient in suffering? Because there is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still. And why should we persevere in prayer? Because God is faithful. His answer may not be what we'd expected or hoped for. But it will be the perfect answer at the perfect time. Persevere in prayer.   That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.