“Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
Ephesians 6:18
Thirty years ago I was able to stand on the beach at Normandy where the Allied D-Day invasion took place on June 6, 1944. I saw the cliffs where the German guns were trained on the beaches to stop the allied advances. It was an awe-inspiring place to visit.
I thought about how the U.S. Army Rangers were a picture of persistence that day for their mission: to take out the German guns on the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc, overlooking the invasion beaches. In 1984, then-president Ronald Reagan described the Rangers’ persistence. “They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another.” What perseverance!
Translate that thought into perseverance in prayer, particularly as we read of it in Luke 11 and 18. And remember, “The point is not to finally break God’s resistance, but to discover by patient prayer, God’s wisdom as to the way and time the prayer should be answered” (John Piper, 2006).
I thought about how the U.S. Army Rangers were a picture of persistence that day for their mission: to take out the German guns on the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc, overlooking the invasion beaches. In 1984, then-president Ronald Reagan described the Rangers’ persistence. “They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another.” What perseverance!
Translate that thought into perseverance in prayer, particularly as we read of it in Luke 11 and 18. And remember, “The point is not to finally break God’s resistance, but to discover by patient prayer, God’s wisdom as to the way and time the prayer should be answered” (John Piper, 2006).
Scripture Focus
Luke 11:5-8; 18:1-8
Insight
Lord, move in us to heed Jesus’ call for persistence in prayer for the glory of His name! Amen
Bible In A Year
- Deuteronomy 17-18
- Psalm 88
- Acts 11-12
