Fight for It: A 21-Day DevotionalSample

Today’s Devotional: Do you ever feel like your prayers go no further than the ceiling? Or that your prayers don’t have the power God’s Word says they should have? Or that other people experience more answers than you do? If that’s you, you’re not alone! The disciples seemed to feel this way as well, and so they asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. In response, Jesus teaches them the “Lord’s Prayer” (see Matthew 6:7-15). When He finished, Jesus told them a story to illustrate the power of prayer. Imagine a traveler on a long journey arriving at the home of his host late at night, He said. The host has nothing to feed his visitor, and not wanting to be rude, he goes off to a neighbor at midnight to ask for some bread. But the neighbor has already turned off the lights and gone to bed. “Don’t bother me, he says. “The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.” But the man keeps on knocking persistently. And because of his boldness, the neighbor finally gets up and gives him as much as he needs. In Matthew 7:7-8 Jesus said the point of the story was this: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” In other words, even if you don’t immediately receive the answer that you’re looking for, keep praying! Because our prayers are powerful. When we pray, God answers. The answer might not always be exactly what we want it to be, but it will always be good! Jesus points out that no good father gives his child a stone if they ask for bread. No good father would give a snake when his son really asked for a fish. So if imperfect human fathers give good gifts to their children, certainly God the Father will give good gifts to His children when we ask for them! Interestingly enough, my 8-year-old son Jacob loves to collect stones, and he’s currently fascinated by reptiles. Recently, I asked him what he wanted for his birthday, and he said a pet snake! He’ll probably get a puppy instead. I wonder what that says about the kind of father I am? — Today’s devotional was written by Pastor Drew Hage Question: * What prayers have you stopped praying for because you didn’t immediately receive the answer you were looking for? Keep praying! A Prayer to ‘Look In’: God, help me to have persistence and endurance in my prayers. When I feel weary, strengthen me and remind me that you are always working on my behalf. Help me to trust you as a good Father. Amen.