Relentless

There's an account in the New Testament. It's a day where I can just picture Jesus ambling along a dusty road with His disciples. He's teaching them. He's telling them one parable after another hoping they will some day remember all He's taught them and continue, not only to live as He has told them, but to share this information for such a time when He is no longer with them.

This is all found in Matthew 18. He teaches, they listen, they question. Some of it may make sense, some may not. In time, however, they will understand.

Peter speaks up. He has a question about forgiveness. "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" (Matthew 18:21) I wondered where he got the up to seven times...so I did a little research. Hah, why I didn't catch it since it was part of a thought process I'd had earlier in the day, I don't know! It's all about those biblical numbers and their meanings...seven...the number of perfection or completion...like the six days of creation and on the seventh God rested saying it was all good. So Peter would have understood the meaning of the number when he was thinking seven times, being perfection would suffice and it would be complete.

But Jesus surprised Him by saying, No, you must forgive 70 times 7. (Matthew 18:22)  Wow.

All that to say this: Although I knew the answer, this was the reminder I was given in my spirit when I asked, "Oh, Lord, how many times do I need to pray for the eyes of this world to be opened to see? How often do I pray that the truth will be known and understood?" The answer was 70 times 7. But I realized it to mean that we continue until we see results of the prayer. We are not to give up. We are to be relentless. 

Relentless prayers may not always bring about the desired results, we must understand, but it is our persistence that God desires. It's almost like it's more about our obedience than the subject of the prayer, although He is interested in both.

Relentless in our asking for forgiveness of our daily sins. Relentless in asking for God to purify our hearts and bring transformation to our lives. Relentless to see His will done in the world. Relentless regarding eyes opened, hearts softened, ears unstopped and souls saved. Relentless in our reminding God (not that He needs reminding) of specific promises for us, in addition to all the other promises He gives us as His children. Relentless in our study of His Word.

Relentless. Even if we think all we do is request the same things, providing they are not just senseless, useless prayers for our own trivial, self-centered needs (although He's interested in all areas of our lives, we needn't ask to win the lottery...He already knows what we need...you get the point). God wants to hear from us. He loves to hear His children speak. He loves to know we are communicating with Him. He loves to know we need Him.

Be relentless. Let the prayers go beyond 70 times 7 if need be. It's what we must do. He is relentless in His pursuit of us. Let us relentlessly pursue Him...through prayer and worship. 

Forgiveness 70 times 7 times is important. Like with anything else with the Lord, being relentless in prayer too has its rewards.

God does not relent in His love for us, as many scriptures attest. He purposes and His will is done. Although we sin if we turn from our evil ways He will relent from disaster He has brought.

1Peter 3:12 - For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers...

Words of Life

John 6:68 - But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Lord, how can I not enjoy reading Your Word? There is so much promise in it even though it was written thousands of years ago to the people of Israel and their nation. It truly is Your love letter to Your children. Open the eyes of the world to this realization. Send Your Spirit that all might see and understand for it is only through Your Spirit that we can fully understand.

Your Word shows Your love, Your strength, Your judgment and Your redemption that leads to life to and for those You call Your children. It becomes Your presence, O God. You speak to us through Your Word. But we must realize ALL the words. We cannot take only the good words and apply them to our lives; we must heed the tough words too. 

Despite Your disappointment and judgment for the world who does not seek You, You love and You show us what we need to do to maintain Your love in our lives. You show us the judgment that comes upon us if we do not listen. You have shown us through Your Word where life is, how it is obtained...and what happens if we choose not to listen. Sadly, some do not recognize this.

You sent Your Son Jesus to become our salvation. You couldn't allow us to wallow in our sin. Your Word shows us these things. You get angry like any parent would when a child has done wrong. If we do not accept Your love You leave us to our own devices. It's our choice. I see a world falling to its own devices. Lord, help the world.

Your Word is life. In the midst of the troubles of this world, all we have is You. There is a song I was just made aware of called Pursuit by Kim Walker-Smith. I listened to just the beginning of it and was prompted to write. In this song the words proclaim: I will pursue You, I can't live without Your presence, I'm pressing in to You so do not pass me by, I'm breaking through the boundaries, I will NOT be denied. Yes, You must be pursued. Your presence must be part of our daily lives. It's how we survive in this world and how we enter into Your kingdom at our last breath. I will not be denied!

Heavenly Father, You are all we need. You tell us in Your presence is fullness of joy. You give wisdom, understanding. You never change and that means Your love never changes, either for those who do not seek You nor for those who You call into Your glorious light, who receive Your Son and seek You with all their hearts. Lord, forgive me for times when I have lost my way or have forgotten how to seek You. I thank You, Lord, that even if we don't think we are in Your presence or don't sense it or even think there is something more we need to do, for this is our nature, to be in that place, You are there. No condemnation for those who love You.

Your words are life.

When we experience bad days, we are to praise You. We are to seek You for all things, not just when we need You most. The truth is, we need You most ALL the time. There shouldn't be a step we take that You are not a part of. 

Let this child open her voice to show this to those around me. Let Your presence be seen through me. Let her words be life and love, as Yours are to me. Let her devotion to You be noticed.

Thank You for Your words of life, strength, compassion, judgment and promise. Let my pursuit never falter. Let my pursuit be evident.

And thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness. Thank You that even as I wrote this prayer You were putting the words of the part of the video I had not heard yet into my heart and into my words to You. Hearts joined, one heart, one mind, one Spirit, Your desires given to me. Praise You Lord! I will continue in my pursuit of You.

Acts 5:20 - [The angel of the Lord said] “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life."