Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. – Luke 11:5-8 (NLT)
Reading this parable, it brings back memories of my mom. When I would travel to go visit her and dad, sometimes I would arrive at a time in the late evenings when most people were going to bed. But none of that mattered to my mother. No, she would insist on having a meal ready for me as soon as I arrived. To not do so, to her at least, would be incredibly rude. I can remember many a late evening arriving and smelling pork chops frying in the skillet as I walked to the front door! And she was that welcoming to everyone, not just her family members. The time of day didn’t matter to her.
In Luke chapter 11, Jesus tells his disciples a story to teach them about the value of being persistent with prayer. His storyline might seem a bit of a stretch to us in our day, but back during Jesus’ time things were far different. When a guest came to visit, the host made sure the traveler was well fed. After all, he’d walked several miles (maybe more) to come visit. Obviously there were no fast-food joints or rest areas on the journey. So upon finally arriving at the host’s doorstep, he was both tired and hungry. But having no refrigerator back in those days and seeing that the cupboard was bare, suddenly there was a pressing need. To not have food for a visitor after a long journey reflected poorly, and not only on the host – but also on the community as a whole. Something had to be done!
Now I don’t know about you, but if someone comes to my door in the middle of the night and they knock only once, I might not hear them. And even if I do hear them I might not feel like getting out of bed. But if they stand there and continue knocking, eventually I’m going to get up and see who it is and why they’re being (as Jesus described) so “shamelessly persistent.”
Friend, God isn’t like the reluctant neighbor in the parable who didn’t want to be bothered. He doesn’t get annoyed when we come to Him in prayer. He’s always ready to listen. But Jesus uses this story to teach us the importance of not giving up on prayer. He wants us to be just as persistent as the friend shamelessly bothering his neighbor in the middle of the night for some bread. Yeah, sometimes it might feel like our prayers are going unheard, like we’re knocking on a door that won’t open. But Jesus encourages us to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking.
And it has nothing to do with “wearing God down” (as if he could somehow become worn out listening to us tell Him about our needs). No, God wants us to come to Him. He wants us to rely on Him to meet our needs. God wants our trust in Him to grow as we patiently-yet-confidently await His response.
So here are three things we should take to heart today regarding our prayer life.
- Be persistent. If there’s something you’ve been praying for and haven’t seen an answer yet, don’t lose heart. Keep bringing it before God.
- Be bold. Don’t be afraid to ask God for big things. He is a big God who can do more than we ask or imagine.
- Be patient. Sometimes, God’s answer isn’t “no,” but “not yet.” Trust that He knows the perfect time and way to respond to your prayers.
And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. – Luke 11:9-10
Former Blackout Artist 