when quit looks good

Luke 11

5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story:

"Suppose you went to a friend's house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread.

You say to him,6 'A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.'

7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, 'Don't bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can't help you.'

8 But I tell you this—though he won't do it for friendship's sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.

  9 "And so I tell you,

keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.

Keep on seeking, and you will find.

Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

10 For everyone who asks, receives.

Everyone who seeks, finds.

And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

  11 "You fathers—if your children ask* for a fish, do you give them a snake instead?

12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not!

13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."

Anybody ever want to just give up?

Does life sometimes just seem SO overwhelming?

Are there times when it just feels like “quit looks good”?

Jesus is speaking in the above passage.

In the part I underlined there are 2 operative words – 2 words that express perhaps the essence of Jesus' thinking...

“Keep on...”

I don't know if anyone needed to hear & see those two words this morning, besides me.

Maybe it's just to let those of us who needed to hear that this morning the encouragement we need, be giving up, quiting, &/or despairing is not what we need or can do

We just are to somehow “keep on”.

Of course, I suppose we should remember where the strength & power comes from for us to persist – that we're not doing this under or own steam.

And Jesus indicates that is only in the “keeping on” that we can qualify to connect with whatever it is we're “keeping on” toward.

Think about it. I know that may seem fuzzy, but to me, this morning, “keep on” were the 2 words I needed to hear.

Doesn't mean it will be easy.

Doesn't mean anything will change immediately or get better.

It does mean that Jesus encourages us (me) to just keep plugging along, putting one foot in front of the other, & trusting Him as we journey toward whatever it is to which we are headed.