U is for Unwavering is the latest post in my series on Prayer A to Z. The other posts are here.
Unwavering?
My dictionary defines Unwavering as “resolute, determined, steady, unmovable and unfailing.” So, my take on unwavering prayer is a pray-er who refuses to quit.
Sometimes a Bending Willow
As a little girl, I grew up with a weeping willow in my backyard. Its long strands transformed daily into jungle vines or seaweed or spiderwebs – whatever my imagination required for the day. But on the days when the Oklahoma wind blew (okay, EVERY DAY WHEN the Oklahoma wind blew), those willow strands danced. They slapped and whipped themselves out of my reach.
Sometimes our prayers have to be like a willow. Gentle and persistent, but able to change course when God send us in a new direction: In other words, flexible.
Sometimes an Unwavering Redwood
I found two examples in the Word, however, that show us that sometimes it pays off to be unwavering when reaching out to Jesus:
- Matthew 9:20-22 tells us of a woman with a health issue. Jesus has been answering questions from John’s disciples. Then a ruler came and worshiped Him and asked Jesus to raise his daughter from the dead. Instead of interrupting all these men with her “bleeding” problem, she convinced herself that all she needed to do was to touch Jesus, and she would be healed. Despite the crowd from 2 sets of disciples, despite the push of people no-doubt hoping to see a miracle, her faith was unwavering. Jesus knew she was healed – by her touch of His robe. How amazing that we get to approach His throne any time!
- Another woman approached Jesus in Matt. 15 – only this one was a Gentile. Her first encounter shows she recognized Him: “O Lord, Son of David.” Then she asked for help to heal her severely demon-possessed daughter. Please note the responses in verse 23: (A) “But He (Jesus) answered her not a word. (B) And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cried out after us.” (A) – We don’t always get an instant response from God either. Sometimes, He may be checking to see how much we are willing to invest in the process. (B) She didn’t just cry out once or the guys wouldn’t have come back whining about it. (C.)Christ’s next response was that He came for the Jews and she wasn’t one. Then she came, worshiped Him and begged for help. (D.)His 3rd response was to tell her that helping her would be like taking food from children to give to little dogs…. Her response? “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” And He recognized her faith and healed her child.
Women were not educated in that time, but she held her own with His questions and didn’t flinch or back down because the stakes were too high.
There are too many days when I don’t seem to have that much at stake. And I may not power-on despite what seems like – or feels like – silence or a rebuke.
I need to up my game. I need to pray more unwavering prayers. How about you? This was my #holy2x4 today. Yep, you know. The one that whacked me right between the eyes to get my attention.
Abba Father, we praise You that we can reach out to You now and any time we need and You are there. Help us to see when we need to be Willows who bend and sway in the winds of change and when to stand as a mighty Redwood who pesters you in faith for the outcome You already wanted us to have. May our roots always run deep to You. And thank you for the strong women examples you left for us in scripture.
Thanks for stopping by today. Hang in there. Don’t give up. May God reward your unwavering prayers. The other prayers in the Prayer A to Z series can be found here.
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