Day Three: The Friend at Midnight
Aug 24, 2005 Print This Post
//MOOD: So-so…I didn’t sleep well last night
//ITUNES: “Paulina” – The Hippos
Luke 11:5-13
Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this illustration: Suppose you went to a friends house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You would say to him, A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat. He would call out from his bedroom, Dont bother me. The door is locked for the night, and we are all in bed. I cant help you this time. But I tell you thisthough he wont do it as a friend, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you what you want so his reputation wont be damaged.
And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.
You fathersif your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.
Four Questions
What can I learn about God?
This story tells me a lot about God. First of all, He hears our prayers. I think a lot of time if He doesn’t answer right away, I think He is not listening. This is one of a few of Jesus’ stories that reminds me to be persistent in prayer, knowing that he hears. Secondly, He will give great gifts to those who ask, including the greatest gift (which comes with the Holy Spirit), salvation.
What can I learn about people?
The one thing that strikes me is in the second half of the passage. We don’t expect God to give good gifts, even though as fathers, we would do so for our kids. It reminds me of the passage in James 1: “Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Yet, we as humans often naturally attribute negative things to God (ever heard of “Acts of God?”). Instead, we need to think of God as the giver of good gifts.
What can I learn about me?
I am not nearly as persistent in prayer as I need to be. I need to keep knocking and knocking and knocking and knocking. Oh, and knocking…
Connect the dots.
I think I am often too “Noel-oriented.” Instead of begging God to come through in some situation, I rely on myself. I spend a lot of time worrying about how I
am going to make stuff work, not in asking God to intervene.
In addition, I tend to come up with plans and then I ask God to make my plans work. Maybe I need to start asking God to help with the planning part, as well.
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