In bargaining with God, Abraham demonstrates a real persistence in prayer (1). Jesus invistes us to persist in prayer as well, to "ask...seek...knock" (3). May our prayer open us to God's will, and so build up his strength with us (Ps). In baptism, we have died with Christ, and have been raised to life with him (2). Gn 18:20-32; Ps 138:1-3, 6-8; Col 2:12-14; Lk 11:1-13