Don’t give up; Just keep Praying.

Read Luke 18:1–8.

Though they’ve outgrown the book now, I remember reading my sons the Dr. Seuss classic Green Eggs and Ham. I’m sure you know the story: Sam-I-Am relentlessly pesters an unnamed acquaintance to try his green eggs and ham with no success. No matter how Sam changes the circumstances surrounding such a tasting of the verdant breakfast platter, his friend simply won’t budge.

He won’t eat it with a fox or in a box, in a house or with a mouse. Nothing can get him to change his mind. Finally, if only to get Sam off his back, he takes a bite. And he falls in love with the dish. The moral of the story is, you should try new things, because you never know when you might just discover something wonderful. 

In a similar but more important lesson, Jesus taught His disciples that our persistence with God will also have an impact. He says, “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly” (Luke 18:7–8).

My wife, Laurin, has told me that when something is stuck in my mind, I can’t help but bring it up—usually until she’s sick of hearing about it. It can be something I’m looking forward to, an idea I plan to write about, or even a problem at work. But strangely, I can’t think of the last time that I went to God with something that often and repeatedly. If I’m honest, I could learn a lesson from Sam-I-Am. God will never be annoyed by our petitions, as Sam’s friend was by His, but He does promise to bring help. And if we have that, what else do we really need?

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