A couple nights ago my daughter brought her stethoscope (she calls it a "doctorscope") into my office asking me to fix it. She said that it doesn't make sounds anymore. We headed into the garage and took apart the part with the circuit board and speaker. Instantly we saw that a tiny little wire became disconnected from the sauder point on the circuit board. Not wanting to bother (or test my limited saudering skills) I told her it was beyond repair and that she'd just have to use it without the sound. Well, this wasn't good enough for her and so she continued to beg me to fix it. After a couple cute pouty looks I couldn't help but get out my saudering gun. Ten minutes later we heard the electronic "coughing" and "heartbeat" sounds. She was excited and ran upstairs to tell Mommy that it was all better.
Right after that I couldn't help but remember the times when God "wanted" to give up on humanity and then there was someone who was willing to petition/intercede on their own and others behalf. This petitioning (begging of sorts) seem to move God to give them another chance. While I don't believe that God is a fickle being that changes His mind like a kid in a candy store; I do believe that He is extremely loving and gracious. Just like when my heart was moved by my daughter petitioning me to take another chance on her doctorscope, I am glad that God takes another chance on you and me.
As people that have the benefit of communication and relationship with God through Jesus (who is petitioning on our behalf) ask youself how are you coming to God? How strongly do you feel about the things that you bring to God? Do you give up or do you continue to pray? Because in a way that I don't fully understand, God, in His grace, allows us in the process of His involvement with humanity. He gives us the opportunity and responsibility to petition Him for our own and others behalf. As we come to Him in faith (in line with His will and in response to His Spirit dwelling in us), He graciously and powerfully responds.
