Ole Kristian O. Hallesby

When Jesus hears our prayers and intervenes in our distress, He does so because His love toward us is free and unmerited, and because he by His suffering and death has purchased and won for us all that we need. And He is now ready at all times to give us these things. He waits only for one thing, and for this He must wait, and that is for us to ask Him to help us. For Jesus will not and cannot force Himself into our distress. We ourselves must open unto Him. And that is the purpose that our prayers should serve.