Late
one afternoon when the office was ready to close, the business manager finally
allowed a life insurance salesman to see him. The manager told the salesman,
“You should feel highly honored. Do you know that I have refused to see seven
insurance men today?”
“I know,” replied the salesman. “I’m them!”
Jesus
told a parable about a man who went to a friend’s house at midnight and knocked
on his door, asking for bread (Luke 11:5-8). His neighbor told him to go away.
But the man kept knocking on the door, knowing his friend wouldn’t get any sleep
until he opened the door and gave him bread. Jesus concluded, “Because of his persistence he will get
up and give him as much as he wants.”
The
man did not give him the bread because of their friendship. The only reason for granting his request
because the man kept pounding
on the door. Jesus used this as an illustration of the kind of persistent faith
that He’s looking for. Persistence is the most overlooked way to receive God’s blessings. (If
God Knows What I Need, Why Should I Pray? p.81)
What if he had quit knocking
after the first refusal? He might have thought, “It must not be God’s will or
he would have opened the door on the first knock.” But it was God’s will
because he finally received the bread.
What if the four men who
carried the paralyzed man to Jesus would have turned around because of the
crowd around the house? (Mark 2:2-12). They could have given up and said, “It
must not be God’s will.” But they persisted and lowered him through the roof. And
it was God’s will because Jesus healed the man.
What if the Canaanite woman
had turned around after Jesus ignored her? (Matt. 15:22-28). She could have
said, “It must not be God’s will.” But it was God’s will because she
persisted and Jesus healed her daughter.
Sometimes
you won’t get what you're praying for because it’s not His will. But what if you
don’t get it because you quit knocking too soon? God won’t get mad at you for
pounding on His door. He might even open it and give you the bread you need. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net
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Making Life Count Ministries
P.O. Box 680174
Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174
www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com
