Is it good to pester God?

[spiderman1917]

Luke 18:1-8New International Version (NIV)

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ² He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

⁴ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?""

Okay...so He says "will he (God) Keep putting them off" as if to indicate that God initially was putting them off.  The widow literally got what she wanted because she bothered/troubled/annoyed/pestered the judge.  She doesn't seem very respectful or polite about it.  The polite thing to do would have been, well the answer is NO, so I better quit troubling the judge.

Instead she got what she wanted by being loud, obnoxious, exhausting, annoying, and refusing to respect or settle for his decision.  He even felt threatened by her.

However, to pester God does not mean to blaspheme obviously.  I understand the difference between the two, but there is a time to contend with God:  

Genesis 32:24-28.

"What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered.

Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have overcome"

 

[Ezra]

1 minute ago, spiderman1917 said:

However, to pester God does not mean to blaspheme obviously.  I understand the difference between the two, but there is a time to contend with God:  

Perhaps "pester" is less appropriate than "persistently petition".  And yes, the Lord does teach us to persist when no immediate answer is forthcoming.

[soft fleecy lambsy]

God never gets upset from hearing from His beloved children.  In scripture, it tells us ' to pray continually', so God never sees you as a pest, so long as your prayer requests line up with His good will, then God is only to happy to be there for His children and answer their prayers. 

[Willa]

I think God is always pleased when we turn to Him and call upon Him.  He wants us to stay in fellowship with him, asking as many times as necessary till we are satisfied and He gives us peace.  He also wants us to listen to Him and gives us insight into His Word.  He wants us to lean on Him and depend on Him.  

[FresnoJoe]

2 hours ago, Willa said:

I think God is always pleased when we turn to Him and call upon Him.  He wants us to stay in fellowship with him, asking as many times as necessary till we are satisfied and He gives us peace.  He also wants us to listen to Him and gives us insight into His Word.  He wants us to lean on Him and depend on Him.  

Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.  John 6:68

[JohnD]

I take it that the point being made about the persistent widow and Jacob was persistence (never give up) and hope with patience on our part.

And another is like it, trust. God knows we need "things" and they shall be added unto us... if God so chooses (meaning we are to trust him and his choices).

He can and does say "No."

Prayer answered.

[JohnD]

I doubt God has a threshold of intolerance except when it comes to sin...

Pester away... even if the omniscient mind of God can be annoyed, I have no doubt he can mute at will. LOL

[spiderman1917]

I think it is a compliment to ask great things of God even if they aren't his will , because it shows we believe he can do it , and we are not lukewarm but persistent. 

Also, it is Biblical that an intercessor can get God to change His mind

[Theophilia05151]

Several people have agreed with you. So, I hesitate to say anything controversial. I also hope that you are talking about pestering God in prayer.

I would hope that my relationship with God is characterized by more true relating between the two of us and not me simply trying to elicit a response from God. Scripture says without faith it is impossible to please God. I imagine any significant human relationship I have would deteriorate rapidly if I simply brought up the same issue over and over rather than trusting the character of the other person and/or the shared history and that in time whatever issue I was seeking to be resolved would be. I honestly think its an affront to God when we talk more than we listen in prayer. Which party in the relationship fashioned the universe? Certainly not me...

[enoob57]

The Spiritual pathway in prayer as I see it:
First knowing this of God in our need

Job 9:4-12
4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?
5 Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger. 6 Which shaketh
the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. 7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and
sealeth up the stars. 8 Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. 10 Which doeth great things
past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. 11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on
also, but I perceive him not. 12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What
doest thou?
KJV
Now I am ready to pray for the Glory He 'IS' due/ in the formation of prayer I ask in this for Thy Son....  
Love, Steven