Prayers and Efforts Are Rewarded

THE Christian apostle Paul urged his fellow believers to “persevere in prayer.” (Rom. 12:12) And for good reason, because Paul knew that such prayer is beneficial. God does answer proper prayers that are in harmony with the divine will. Often, of course, earnest effort must accompany ardent prayer. To illustrate:

Among the huge banana plantations in Ecuador there was a certain small group of about 10 proclaimers of God’s kingdom. They have had to walk for hours to get to Christian meetings, and their witnessing territory is so scattered that it takes two to three hours to get to their neighbors on foot. But these witnesses of Jehovah have been rewarded for their efforts in publishing, or making known, the “good news.”​—Isa. 52:7.

One Witness in the area​—a 60-year-old man—​prayed that Jehovah God would bless him by enabling him to obtain and conduct a Bible study with some interested person. He soon had one study going. However, this Kingdom proclaimer continued praying that God would further bless him so that all his walking in that isolated territory would prove to be worth while. The result? Why, he soon was conducting four separate Bible studies with individuals manifesting interest in the “good news”!

The efforts of the 10 Kingdom publishers in the group have also been blessed. This seemed evident when they were able to bring 80 persons together for the public Bible talk during a visit of a traveling overseer. Some individuals in attendance had walked for hours so as to be present.

Whether in isolated areas or elsewhere, Jehovah’s Witnesses are delighted to share with others the “good news of the happy God.” (1 Tim. 1:11) In these activities time and again their sincere prayers and earnest efforts are rewarded. Why not discuss the Bible with the Witnesses the next time they call at your home? Doing so can be personally rewarding in a spiritual way.