Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
Luke 11:5-8
Jesus tells us this story, which may be a little difficult for our modern understanding. Who knocks on their neighbor’s door at midnight to borrow bread for a guest? This short parable, coming right after The Lord’s Prayer, seems out of place, but as always, Jesus has a lesson for us.
This is intended to show us that it is not wrong to ask for things, especially when our request is for others, as in this story. The person makes the request honestly, not asking for more than needed, and is persistent in his efforts until successful. Jesus says this honesty and persistence is needed in our faith and our prayers.
When we come honestly to God in prayer, we can expect our relationship to grow as we hear His Word. God doesn’t always answer immediately nor grant every request we make – God is God and we are not. However, by being persistent in our prayers, we grow closer to God and His plan for our lives. Spend time in prayer today, asking for what you need and feeling the love spending time with God brings.
Loving Lord, we pray for our wants and needs, for ourselves, our friends, our world. Help us to hear Your answer, the guidance we need every day, and go into the world to do Your will. Amen.