Never Lose Hope

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men ought always to pray and never lose hope. (Luke 18:1)

Our Lord is sharing something essential with His disciples -- prayer is the only way to maintain a hopeful outlook through the bleak seasons we are sure to experience; in other words, the prayerful saint is the hopeful saint, and Jesus wants us to never lose our hope, so we must pray! The Lord told us clearly that we will suffer tribulation in this world; yet we are to be of good cheer, because He has overcome the world, and we are found in Him. There are people and circumstances for which we would lose all hope apart from the patience we receive from a life of prayer and intercession. The Lord has ordained that life as His formula for spiritual sustenance and success. Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:46)

A praying saint may travail and suffer, he may struggle and wonder when God will answer, she may grapple with feelings of defeat and depression – but the fact that we persevere in prayer is the surest sign we have not lost heart. The prayer of faith girds and guards the heart of the intercessor, keeping us connected to an invisible stream of spiritual strength through faith, and we never doubt that God will keep His Word and glorify His Son, if we will just believe. May the Lord increase the faithful in the earth, and may we never take our eyes off the promise or the Promise Keeper.

Let's Pray - Father, Your Word says You will keep me in perfect peace, as long as my eyes and heart are fixed on You. Help me stay focused and prayerful, so that I might see Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus alone, Amen.