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I wrote yesterday that persistence is a measure of faith. Here’s an example from the dark ages of military phone services.

When I was on active duty, 1970 – 1990, there were three kinds of telephone lines connected to many desk phones, which had a row of buttons to choose the line. 

One line dialed only numbers on local military installation. Another would get you to a local outside line, accessed by dialing “9” to get the outside line dial tone. Some phones were equipped with a line that would dial other military bases through the AUTOVON system, and we accessed that system by dialing “8.” The challenge was there weren’t enough lines for more than a certain number of people on the base to use AUTOVON at the same time, so “8” frequently got you a busy signal even if you were on an AUTOVON line. You also got a busy signal if you dialed “8” on a non-AUTOVON line.

Question: how many times would you dial “8” to get an AUTOVON line dial tone? Answer: it depends on how urgently you needed to make that call AND how sure you were that you were on an AUTOVON line. When I visited another base and needed to call my office, I would use someone else’s phone. And if there was no one around to ask which line was which, there was the uncertainty.

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. (Luke 18.1, NLT)

Our ability to “pray and never give up” is a function of our faith in God AND how sure we are that we are asking for is appropriate. Someone said, “You ought to pray before you pray,” meaning, discern the will of God before you ask for something. Then, like Liana and her fish, persist! I’m still working on this practice!

And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for. (1 John 5.14, 15, NLT)