This last spring, a bird built its nest right above the door on my back porch. I did not want the mess and drama that comes along with birds’ nests, so I asked my tall husband to knock the empty nest down. Hours later, I saw the same bird flying back to rebuild in the same spot.
Again, my husband knocked the empty nest down. We woke up the next morning and were surprised to see that the bird had rebuilt its nest overnight in the same place! Apparently, it was not getting the message. My husband knocked it down four times in two days and countless more times over the coming weeks.
As I sat on my sofa watching this bird come back again, the Lord convicted my heart deeply through this bird’s persistence and brought this verse to mind.
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Luke 18:1
God was calling me to have the persistence of this bird, especially in my prayer life.
We serve a very persistent God.
He continued to walk with the stubborn Israelites even when they railed against Him in the wilderness. In the book of Hosea, He shows how He keeps on passionately pursuing His adulterous people.
Jesus never gave up on His 12 disciples who struggled to understand what He was up to, slept when He called them to pray, and ultimately abandoned Him in the garden. Christ set His face like flint to accomplish His Father’s will, going all the way to the cross to suffer for the sins of humanity.
But because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:24-25
I am a recipient of His personal persistence. He has continued to walk with me when I, too, have grumbled against Him in the wilderness. He has passionately pursued my heart when my love for Him has grown cold. He has stuck with me through all of my sins and failures and He has carried my cross all the way.
I am incapable of this kind of persistence. No amount of self-improvement or hard work will result in anything but empty human effort on my part.
However, if I remain grafted in Him, close to Him, and empowered by Him, His persistence will flow through me as I stand in the gap for others.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:30-31
As moms committed to praying for children & schools, we will need to overcome challenges in order to gather for weekly intercession this coming year:
- Press on through scheduling conflicts, illnesses, and absences.
- Persevere even when it looks like the problem we are bringing to the Lord is getting worse and not better.
- Overcome feeling offended at others, disappointed that although invited, they don’t come to pray.
- Keep our hearts light when we notice the overwhelming darkness seeking to overtake our children and their schools.
The enemy of our souls will do all he can to knock down the personal prayer life we are building and to derail the prayer group we are establishing, but don’t give in. Persist in prayer.
Jesus, challenges will come against my prayer time this coming year and the enemy will tempt me to feel discouraged. When this happens, please remind me to always pray and never give up. I pray Your divine protection over my personal prayer time and for my Moms in Prayer group. Keep unnecessary absences, appointments, illnesses, distractions, and other commitments at bay. If we do miss our time, bring creative ways for us to keep connecting consistently so that we can make sure our children and their schools are covered that week. I am asking You to fill me with Your heart of sacrificial love for the next generation so that I, too, can take my stand and persist in prayer, just as You have persisted for me in so many ways. Amen.
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E.J. Baldwin is an Oklahoman, a wife, a mom, a Scripture singer/song-writer and a children’s book author. Her new children’s book about the nativity was recently released. Go to The Lowly Stable website to buy the book and watch the short movie with your children, then share the gospel by sending the movie to friends and neighbors.