Scripture:
5 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; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 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.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity[e] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
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; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” – Luke 11:5-13
Reflection:
The third element of prayer Jesus encodes in this teaching on prayer is the confidence that the One we are asking has the thing we need. The friend in the parable has bread. He is able to share the bread with the one asking. In like fashion God has the ability to answer our prayer. He has the goods.
But the question for us is, do we believe this? Do we have confidence that God can answer our prayer? If we do, we are far more likely to ask Him. Over and over, Jesus connects the precondition of faith with answered prayer. In Nazareth, Mark tells us “he could do no miracles there because of their unbelief.” To the man with the demon-possessed son, Jesus says, “anything is possible to him who believes.” To the Centurion he says, “according to your faith, let it be done to you.” Hebrews tells us, “without faith it is impossible to please God, for anyone who comes to him must believe he exists and that he earnestly rewards those who seek him diligently.”
If we have confidence that God exists and answers prayer and is able to answer our prayers, it surely follows we will be more likely to ask him for what we need. If we are not asking…could it be because we doubt God’s ability (or willingness) to answer prayers. “You have not because you ask not,” writes James.
For Prayer:
- Think of the things you (and others you love) really need? Now ask yourself…do you believe God has the goods?
- If so – boldly ask him for what you (or those you love need)
- If not – ask God to help your unbelief. Ask him for greater faith and confidence that he exists and rewards those who seek him
In Our Time 