When I read the Gospel for today, I immediately thought of a song that has become an unexpected source of strength for me. Some back story… As I was completing my doctoral work, I set a very ambitious date for my dissertation defense. There was a date that was very significant for my family, and I was determined to pay tribute by becoming “Dr. Nickerson” on that day. As the calendar closed in, my stress level elevated, and self-doubt crept in. I wasn’t sure if I had it in me to get it all done in time.
Every morning for 6 weeks straight, I listened to the same song. Usually, I played it while I was in the car, and I belted out every word. The chorus of “Don’t Stop Praying” by Matthew West goes like this:
When you’ve cried, and you’ve cried ’til your tears run dry
The answer won’t come, and you don’t know why
And you wonder if you can bow your head even one more time
Don’t stop praying
Don’t stop calling on Jesus’ name
Keep on pounding on Heaven’s door
And let your knees wear out the floor
(Yes, I am now singing this out loud as I write this, and I highly recommend that after you finish reading my reflection, you go listen to the song if you haven’t heard it.)
Fast forward to the present day. We may feel overly exposed to acts of violence, divisiveness, and circumstances that may lead us to feel like we are spiraling out of control. In times when it feels like no one is listening and hope starts to dwindle, Luke’s message in today’s Gospel encourages us to be persistent in our prayer.
Similarly, West’s song lyrics go on to say:
Don’t stop believing
‘Cause mountains move with just a little faith
And your Father’s heard every single word you’re saying
The Gospel of Luke urges us: Ask. Seek. Knock. God sees us and hears us. Now, that doesn’t translate into getting everything we want the way we want it and when we want it. For me, it wasn’t that if I kept on praying, God would finish my dissertation for me, ensuring that everything was clear, concise, and grammatically correct. Persistent prayer isn’t about wearing God down and getting your way. It was that if I kept on praying, I would center myself where I needed to be – wrapped in God’s steadfast love and grace.
Today’s Gospel ends with a reminder that God gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit. That gift includes wisdom, courage, strength, assurance, and goodness. All gifts that I need in times of stress, despair, and doubt. So, I will continue asking, seeking, and knocking persistently. I invite you to listen to West’s song, reflect on its connection to the Gospel for today, and don’t stop praying.
Becky Nickerson
As a Creighton employee of over 20 years, a course instructor, an alumna, and a mom of a Bluejay alum, I am grateful that so much of my journey has been centered in a place that has encouraged me to explore and grow in my faith and live out a mission that is core to my own value system. I love my work, I am rooted in my faith, and I’m really not sure how I could ever separate them at this point. I am excited to be a new contributor to Creighton’s online ministry – learning and serving in a new way.
