PERSISTENCE REWARDED

Knock, knock.

“Who’s there?”

“Your friend. I need something.”

“Go away and don’t bother me. I can’t help you now.”

That may have been the dialogue in Christ’s example in Luke chapter 11. We aren’t told how many times the “knock-knock-who’s-there” scenario took place, but we know it was more than once, because Jesus said the friend in need would be answered because of his persistence.  Immediately following that illustration, Christ assured His listeners (and us!), “… ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9)

Not long ago I was rewarded for persistence, and this passage came to mind. The president of the company I work for has his main office at company headquarters in another state and he comes to our office / manufacturing facility several times a year. Because I make travel arrangements for upper management, engineers and visitors, I make the president’s hotel reservations when he comes to town. “Hotel A” is his preferred home away from home, so I called “Hotel A” and requested a reservation for the date he would be staying. Unfortunately, all the rooms were booked and I had to reserve a room at “Hotel B”. My plan was to call “Hotel A” several times again before his arrival to see if they had a cancellation and could get the president in before we would be charged for “Hotel B”. On my fourth attempt in the course of about three weeks, I was rewarded. The reservation clerk of “Hotel A” gave me the reservation and commented: “Well, since you’ve been so persistent, I’ll give him a room.”

No one who calls on God expects Him to say, “Go away, I can’t help you now. Don’t bother Me.”  We ask because we expect an answer. If we don’t get an answer, we keep asking. And we ask again, we seek again, and we knock again. And again. And again.

If that’s your experience, don’t give up! Remember the promise of Jesus: “…everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Luke 11:10) We know the promise and we can expect an answer, because God rewards persistence!