January 24 Really?

Luke 11:5-10 Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’ 7 “Then the one inside answers, ‘Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9 So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
 
DO we really trust Jesus’ words from verse 10? To help us understand how to answer that question, Jesus has drawn from the culture of his day a vivid picture of two men in need and one able to help them. The midnight visitor seeks bread for a hungry guest. In customary hospitality laws, the seeking, knocking man must care for his visitor. Otherwise, he will shame his family and the entire village. Hospitality is a key to peace in the households. The man, then, persistently knocks on his friend’s door, urgent to care for his unexpected guest.
    Now let’s go inside the house. How would you respond, awakened to such noise and urgency? Likely your response would be, “You couldn’t wait until morning?” But the friend and father of the house knows the need must be fulfilled. He gets up not to satisfy his seeking, knocking friend personally, but to satisfy the man’s urgent need. One man gives. Two men receive. The three men will complete their night in peace.
    Then Jesus taught the prayer lesson, “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
    Think about it. Is this real for your prayer life? This was true for a loud, persistent man who wanted bread. But could this principle truly apply to our praying for the things we want? If we make enough noise with an urgent “knocking”, does God open the doors of Heaven to give us what we desire? What about all those “unanswered prayers”? Where are the open doors then? What is urgent?
    We’ll pursue the answers tomorrow.
 
Prayer: Into your hands, Father, I commit my life. Teach me to seek your ways, not mine. In Jesus’ glorious name I pray, amen.