Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Prayer
But I call to God,
and the Lord saves me.
Evening, morning and noon
I cry out in destress,
and he hears my voice.
PSALM 55:16-17 (NIV)
It’s hard for many of us to pray when things aren’t going so well. Sometimes we say to ourselves, “Well, what good does prayer do anyway? I’ve been praying, and things aren’t getting any better. I just don’t have the energy to do this anymore.”
King David encountered as many difficulties as we do, and yet he determined that he would not give up the one thing that gave him hope. “Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress,” he admits, “and [God] hears my voice.” (v. 17)
David refused to give up his lifeline. He continued to pour out his heart, whether he saw any immediate improvement in his circumstances or not. He didn’t pray just once. He didn’t wait until Sunday. He didn’t give up. Like a hurt child tugging on his mother’s apron, he knew that God would respond because he knew God’s loving heart. He is an Old Testament example of Jesus’ instruction that we “should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1)
Rejoice in our confident hope.
Be patient in trouble,
and keep on praying.
ROMANS 12:12 (NLT)
On the journey with you,
Jan & Dave Dravecky