Luke 11:1-13 NIV
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,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
3 Give us
each day our daily bread.
4 Forgive
us our sins,
for we
also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.’”
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 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 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!”
Ask For the Holy Spirit
Here, the disciples have been taking “sneak
peeks” into Jesus praying. I can remember, as a young child, often witnessing
my mom at the coffee table in the living room, with a white zip up Bible, as I
recall, reading it. I’m pretty sure she was praying as well. That’s a memory, accurate
or not, set in my memory, that impacts how I make personal, alone time and
Bible study a priority in my life. Just a memory of seeing my mom. The disciples,
I believe had something similar with how many times they witnessed Jesus going
off to pray. What was Jesus up to? What was he doing? How was he doing this
thing they witnessed?
So, yea, Jesus, teach us how to pray!
Sort of like what Paul says in Romans 8:26
26 In
the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought
to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through
wordless groans.
We can’t learn to pray by JUST ALONE
learning the words of a prayer.
Jesus gifted ALL of us a prayer upon the
request of a disciple or more. Yes, this was a request prompted by Jesus own
example of times away and alone in prayer. YET, learning TO pray is more than
learning A prayer. But Jesus gifted the starting point.
In prayer, we bring to God our needs,
problems --- AND --- WAIT FOR, God’s Light and strength. SO THAT, we may see
that our life IS NOT what WE do… BUT RATHER, what we permit God to do IN US AS
we give ourselves over to God’s will. In prayer, God brings US TO Him.
Most of the time this prayer that Jesus
gives is titled, “The Lord’s Prayer,” rather it seems to me to be more to be “The
Disciple’s Prayer.” Huh? Why do I say that? Jesus’ prayer is based on a
relationship with God. This prayer is a guide in our walking WITH God. This prayer is a matter between God and His
disciples. A matter or maybe a secret even. It’s a prayer life in confidence WITH
God our Creator, our Savior, our Friend.
Here, Jesus shares the WAY He prayed or
maybe even better worded, HOW He prayed.
Jesus uses the title, Father. Think of
how Paul talks about this title from Romans 8:15…
15 The
Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear
again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to
sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
How about Galatians 4:6…
6 Because
you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the
Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
Or maybe even 1 Peter 1:17…
17 Since
you call on a Father who judges each person’s
work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in
reverent fear.
These passages all reflect of loving relationship
with God the Father …. Or Abba Father.
In the use of this title for God in Abba
Father; Jesus shares not just His flesh with us, BUT ALSO our approach to the
Father.
In Paul’s words we discover God’s
intimate relationship with us as Father, but through Jesus as brothers and
sisters… Hebrews 2:10-13…
10 In bringing many sons and daughters
to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything
exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he
suffered. 11 Both the one who makes people
holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is
not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. 12 He
says,
“I will declare your name
to my brothers and sisters;
in the assembly I will sing your praises.”
13 And again,
“I will put my trust in
him.”
And again he says,
“Here am I, and the
children God has given me.”
And look at the words of Hebrews
5:7-8…
7 During the days of Jesus’ life on
earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and
tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was
heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though
he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered
So, we pray to “Father.”
Now, let’s move on, as we
ask God to forgive us AS we forgive others.
Forgiveness moves…
Forgiveness moves in three
ways
·
God
is willing to forgive us
·
We
see and accept God’s forgiveness
·
God
forgives others through us as we forgive others
Then Jesus jumps into a
little parable or story to illustrate one of the most important points of
praying.
As I read verses 5-8 of Luke
11, I had to wonder, am I the one asleep in this story. Am I the one reluctant
to hear the call of my friend in need? Just question yourself with this thought
for a while. I don’t think that these questions are the point of this story,
but they make me wonder about myself.
Verses 5-8, point out how
God knows what we need.
Listen to the words of Jesus
from Matthew 6:7-8…
7 And when you pray, do
not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard
because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them,
for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
BUT WE ASK for what we need
trusting IN God.
Our struggle IS NOT with
God, BUT IS with ourselves. So when we ask over and over, we aren’t persuading
God, RATHER, God is granting the time for us to get beyond our own pride,
selfishness, greed and bondage to sin and ourself. We struggle with ourselves,
AS God gives us what we REALLY NEED.
God NEVER fails us. EVER!
We may think that God doesn’t
give us what we want, so then, God has failed us. NO WAY! God goes so far
beyond what we believe we need. What we believe we need for this life on this
earth in this place, just may, NOT BE what God has in plan for us BEYOND this
place and this life we live here on this earth.
We won’t get whatever we ask
for, especially in the way we ask in our sinful, selfish way.
YET, we WILL get what we
need.
YES! God responds to prayer.
God responds to His relationship WITH you and me.
God’s BEST gift of HIMSELF
and the Holy Spirit. That’s what we need!
And this is faith in our
relationship WITH God.
So, look to Jesus and pray. Take
a sneak peek at Him in prayer. Focus on Jesus. God always reaches down to us in
mercy, love and forgiveness. Repeat the prayers Jesus gives to ALL Disciples
and pray it over and over and discover, NOT ONLY, the words to pray, BUT ALSO how
to pray.
Will you receive this gift
of prayer?
For me? Yes… today… tomorrow…
and forever. How about you?
Thanks be to God for prayer!
Enjoy this YouTube Music
Video that speaks to prayer…
“The Lord’s Prayer”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUjLd6k6uXk&list=RDkUjLd6k6uXk&start_radio=1
Drawing by Albrecht Dürer
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