Jesus often encouraged His followers with promises specifically for those who pray. Here is one of the most compelling reasons Jesus gave for us to pray and never give up until the answer arrives:
Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
Is there anyone among you who, if your child asked for bread, would give a stone? Or if the child asked for a fish, would give a snake? If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7-11)
You may have heard that Jesus’ encouragement to pray uses the Greek present imperative, which implies continuous action. Verse 7 can be read as: “Ask and keep on asking… search and keep on searching… knock and keep on knocking.” The heart of Jesus’ message is simple: don’t stop praying.
He reinforces this by comparing human parents with our perfect Heavenly Father. God is infinitely better than any earthly parent and will surely provide what His children need.
Don’t Stop Praying
Janis Joplin once famously sang, “O Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes-Benz. My friends all drive Porches, I must make amends.” At the very least, we can agree this is a weak and selfish prayer.
In contrast, the prophet Isaiah was so concerned that God receive the honor due His name that he prayed continually for it to be established:
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn and her salvation like a burning torch.
The nations shall see your vindication and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.
You shall be a beautiful crown in the hand of the Lord and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. (Isaiah 62:1-3)
Isaiah cared for Jerusalem because it was the representation of God’s glory on earth. In the same way, we pray for the church today because, for many, the church is the only picture people have of God.
Whether we pray for Zion or the church, the ultimate goal is for God to be glorified. This aligns closely with the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be revered as holy. (Matthew 6:9)
When we pray for God’s name to be revered as holy, we are asking Him to reveal His character, presence, and nature in such a way that people realize who He actually is. This is a prayer we should offer frequently, expecting God to answer in various ways.
God’s Promise That Shines
In their historical context, the following verses of Isaiah 62 refer to Mount Zion. However, what we read about this sacred space is also a beautiful picture of God’s love for humanity. We would all do well to read these verses as a personal message from the Lord to us:
You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her and your land Married, for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married.
For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. (Isaiah 62:4-5)
When I read the Bible, I like to highlight words that have particular meaning to me. After reading a passage, I go back and pray through those highlights. Here are the phrases I noted in this passage, followed by a brief prayer:
“You shall no more be termed Forsaken” – Apart from You, Lord, I am forsaken, but by Your grace, I am Your child.
“No more be termed Desolate” – Dear Lord, before I met You, I was lost. I don’t know if I felt “desolate,” but I was surely lost, lonely, and directionless. Thank You that I have been “found” in You.
“You shall be called My Delight Is in Her” – Dear Father, it is easy to delight in You. I praise You for Your grace and love that tells me You delight in me, too.
These verses highlight God’s immense love. He encourages us to keep praying, promising that He will answer. Let’s be sure to pray for His name, reputation, presence, and character to be seen as holy in our world.
As we do, we can rejoice in God’s love as He transforms our forsaken and desolate places into a life of His delight.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 