How Thirsty Are You?
Edward A. Smith

“Daddy, can I have a drink of water?”
Let me tell you about little boys. They are like camels.

They can play ball all day and never think about a drink of
water. They can run around our in the hot sun, and a drink of
water never enters their little minds. But at night, as soon as
their head hits the pillow, “Can I have a drink of water?”
One night my three-year-old and I went through our regular
bedtime routine. I read him a story, listened to his prayers,
gave his a good-night hug, after the fourth or fifth “good-
night,” I slipped out of the room. Finally, after a long hard
day, I could sit down and relax.

It was nice and quiet for all of five minutes, when sudden-
ly, “Daddy, can I have a drink of water?” I knew he was not
thirsty and was just wanting a little more attention before going
to sleep, so I said, “Son, get quiet and go to sleep!” It was
silent for a couple of minutes, then just a little louder than
before, “Daddy, can I please have a drink of water?” “Son, hush
up in there and go to sleep!” He was quiet again, but it did not
last any longer than before, “Daddy, please can I have a drink of
water?” I could see we were not getting anywhere. “Son, if I hear
one more sound out of that room, I am going to spank you!” You
could hear a pin drop. The silence was thick. But suddenly he
called out, almost as sternly as I had, “Daddy, when you come in
here to spank me, would you bring me a drink of water?” Now I
knew he was thirsty.

How did I know? Because he was consistent and persistent.
This is what Christ teaches us concerning our prayer life. In
Luke 18:1-7, through a parable Christ tells us to be consistent
and persistent when we pray. In this parable the judge refused to
grant the woman’s petition, but she was consistent and persis-
tent, until finally the judge gave her what she wanted. Why?
“Lest by her continual coming she weary me!” Some of the modern
translations say, “Lest she wear me out…” She was consistent
and persistent.

Jesus goes on to tell His disciples, God will grant the
petitions of those who “cry out day and night unto Him.” Those
who are persistent in their prayers.

Maybe you have a prayer in your heart, and you have peti-
tioned the Lord time and again on this particular request, but
you have not received your answer; do not give up! Christ tells
us to be persistent. Why? Because like thee little boy and the
drink of water, He wants to make sure we are really “thirsty.”
Not for His sake, but our own. God hears our prayers; He knows
our needs. Do not give up! Be consistent and persistent.