Faith & Life
Nag Me
On persistent prayer, the widow who would not quit,
and what it means when God says: keep asking.
Personal Reflection · Luke 18 · Exodus 17 · Psalm 121
The readings today are giving me strong "be persistent" vibes — almost like God is saying, "Nag Me!"
Did you get that too?
Whenever I sit down to write one of these reflections, I usually read the readings weeks in advance and let them soak in. I try to discern what the Lord is saying to me and what He might be asking me to share. Sometimes that takes a while. Other times — like today — it feels like God is speaking from just a few feet away with a megaphone.
The message seems clear: keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking.
At first, I hesitated. Really, God? You want us to nag You?
As a parent, I do not exactly appreciate being nagged by my own kids. There is a particular kind of exhaustion that sets in around the fourteenth time someone asks you the same thing in the same afternoon. So my first instinct was to push back a little on this reading.
But the more I prayed with it, the more I realized that is exactly the point.
Persistent prayer means we are not ignoring God.
We are acknowledging that He is the One in control,
the One with the power to change our situation.
And when we persist — rather than pulling a Sarah and taking matters into our own hands — we are actually obeying God's command to come to Him again and again. Call it nagging, call it persistence, but in the end it is an act of faith and trust.
That thread runs through every one of today's readings:
Moses raises his hands until Israel prevails. The moment his arms drop, the battle turns. Aaron and Hur hold them up for him. Persistence — even when it requires help — is the posture that brings victory.
The psalmist lifts his eyes to the hills and looks constantly to the Lord for help. Not once. Not occasionally. Constantly.
Paul urges Timothy to remain steadfast in the truth, to be persistent in season and out of season — whether it is convenient or not, whether anyone is listening or not.
The persistent widow who will not give up, who keeps coming back to the judge day after day until he grants her justice. Jesus holds her up not as an annoyance, but as a model of faith.
Each one is a reminder that God honors perseverance. Not because He needs to be worn down — He is not like the unjust judge who eventually gives in just to get some peace. He honors persistence because persistence is a declaration. It says: I believe You are listening. I believe You are able. I believe this is worth bringing to You one more time.
So go ahead. Nag God. Bring Him the same prayer for the hundredth time. Lift your arms even when they are tired. Keep knocking on that door.
He is not annoyed. He is waiting.
Pray for me. I will pray for you. 🙏
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