faith

Prayer Rooms this week:

• Today – 9am | 12 Bassett Street or on Zoom
• Tuesday – 7:30am | 12 Bassett Street

Opening Prayer

O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness during the day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scripture

11 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

² He said to them, “When you pray, say:

“‘Father,^[a]
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.^[b]
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
⁴ Forgive us our sins,
    for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.^[c]
And lead us not into temptation.^[d]’”

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!”

For Prayer

Read the passage again, slowly. Pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is breathing on or highlighting as you read. Begin praying from that place.

Ask the Lord:

• Pray upward: What from this scripture is leading me to praise God or give Him thanks?
• Pray inward: How is this scripture revealing sin in my life or bringing conviction? How is it leading me to repentance or a change of heart?
• Pray outward: How is this scripture calling me to obedience and faith? Pray into that.

Closing Prayer

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
We your unworthy servants
give you most humble and hearty thanks
for all your goodness to us and to all people.
We bless you for our creation, preservation
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world
by our Lord Jesus Christ,
for the means of grace,
and for the hope of glory.
And give us, we pray,
such a sense of all your mercies
that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful,
And that we show forth your praise,
not only with our lips but in our lives,
by giving up ourselves to your service,
And by walking before you in holiness
and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit,
be all honor and glory
for ever and ever. Amen.

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 second facet of prayer Jesus encodes in this parable is love. The motivation of intercession is love. It is love that moves the heart of God. When we pray for others, placing our interest within their interest, God is pleased. God is love, after all…and rejoices when we resemble Him.

The man does not ask for bread for himself, but for another. This is implied when Jesus teaches us to pray, “give US this OUR daily bread.” We are asking, not just for ourselves but for others. There is a reciprocity between love and prayer. It is love that moves us to pray for others, and it is praying for others that enables us to love them.

Prompts:

Who is God calling you to love this year through your prayers?

Go before the Father, bringing before Him the people He is inviting/calling you to love and their needs? Beseech Him for their needs, as if you were the man in the parable, asking for bread to give them…bread which you don’t have but which your Father does.

Remember that your Father is not evil. He does not give a stone when you ask for bread. Or a snake when you ask for a fish.