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Beauty Will Rise - Steven Curtis Chapman
A local small SBC church marquee has this wonderful little ditty:
PUSH
Pray Until Something Happens
Is this biblical?
Are we supposed to continue praying for something, and then stop once what we are praying for happens?
Is this man-centered prayer, or God-focused prayer?
We are called to pray without ceasing. Paul tells us to be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let our requests be made known to God.
Nowhere do I recall in Scripture being told to PUSH God with prayer.
But then again, as I type this I am thinking of what Luke records Jesus saying right after he instructs the disciples how to pray:
“Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, `Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and from inside he answers and says, `Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.” – Luke 11:5-10
Is this possibly an example of what that church was trying to say on its sign? Indeed, it appears that Christ was teaching his disciples about how persistence in prayer pays off. Jesus seems to be saying that it is possible to ‘push’ God with prayer.
Is that what He was saying? If not, then what was the point of Jesus’ words concerning asking, seeking and knocking? The gist of this parable seems to be that, just because you are a child of God doesn’t mean you are going to get what you ask for. But, if you are persistent…if you continue to ask, seek and knock, then the door will be opened to you and you will receive, find…as much as you need. The friend in the parable didn’t get his request granted because he was a friend. His request was granted because of his persistence.
