You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem. —Isaiah 62:6b-7

My son Tavis, a bright-eyed eight-year-old as bouncy as his spirit, had a burning desire for a puppy. He had been meticulously planning for and imagining his puppy, even crafting a detailed puppy care plan. But my wife and I were unmoved, particularly I. "A dog is a big responsibility, Tavis," I would say to him. "We're not ready for that."

But Tavis was not one to be easily discouraged. He started with subtle tactics—casually mentioning how much exercise walking a puppy would provide him, and even offering to do extra chores to prove he was capable of taking on responsibilities.

One day, Tavis heard that Sister Jordan, a lady from the church we attended, had some puppies, and that she wanted to give him one because she had heard he wanted a puppy badly. Tavis launched into a passionate speech about the joy a dog would bring, even citing emotional support and the potential for family walks. Again, we, his parents, listened patiently, but I still had reservations.

His persistent pleas of  “Dad, I really, really want a puppy and promise I will take good care of it,” coupled with his unwavering enthusiasm, slowly began to soften my stance. I started to see the potential benefits, especially how a puppy may give him an added sense of being responsible. Finally, I agreed to consider getting a puppy, on the condition that Tavis would be entirely responsible for training and caring for it.

The day we brought home Sharook, a tiny, playful puppy, Tavis beamed with pure joy. He had not only gotten his puppy, but he also learned the power of patient perseverance and presenting a well-thought-out case. As he walked Sharook around the neighbourhood, he knew that his determination had not only brought a new friend into our home but had also strengthened his bond with me, his dad.

In Isaiah 62, God encouraged this kind of persistence. He said to the citizens of Jerusalem, “You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth” (verse 6b-7).

Calling on the Lord is an act of trust and surrender; it is acknowledging that He is the ultimate source of hope and strength in our lives. As with Tavis's consistent and creative efforts, not only can our persistence in petitioning God, our loving Father, eventually lead to positive outcomes, but it can also draw us nearer to Him.

Therefore, give him no rest. Persistently pray and petition Him about your desires and needs, not letting up until He answers your request.

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