Persistent prayer
Your children will commit themselves to you, O Jerusalem, just as a young man commits himself to his bride. Then God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride. O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray day and night, continually. Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord. Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work, until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth. Isaiah 62:5-7 NLT
Our relationship with God began with committing ourselves to Him. We made a vow that we will be true to our commitment. God made His vow as well and will constantly remind us that even when it becomes difficult, we will have the resolve to remain true and faithful for we know He is with us. Because of our commitment, we become watchmen keeping our eyes to what God is doing in the world today. Then, with the challenges we face, we encourage one another; we “pray day and night, continually.” We remain in this attitude of being persistent in our prayers until God fulfills His promises. We also bring to God our longings that through His church, His work will be established and recognized so that others will come to surrender their lives to Him. Prayer offered to God with sincerity is what breaks down the hearts of people that leads them to realize their need of Him. It tries our patience and at times we might not see the result. Nevertheless, God wants us to be persistent in our prayers for in due time there will be harvest. Prayer is like knocking to a friend’s house “long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence” (Luke 11:8). Prayer offered by a “righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16). God has placed us strategically in our time so we can intercede for one another. We call on God’s working so that the power of preaching and sharing the gospel will not be hindered but will result to expanding His kingdom. Though things and events might not be desirable at this time but God calls us to persevere “until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth” (Isaiah 62:7).
Blessings,
