Luke 11:5-10 As a parent of three children I have had my resistance worn away many times by persistent nagging. Like most children, our kids have an uncanny ability to beg for something until I have reached a point where I can not stand it any longer. They get what they want, not because it is the best thing, but because I want peace.
In today’s passage Jesus follows his instruction on how to pray with this example. At what time of the day is this example set? What is the predictable response? According to verse 8, why will the friend eventually give in? What familiar saying of Jesus appears in verses 9 and 10? How do verses 9 and 10 relate to the story in verses 5-8?
At a recent meeting of pastors the comment was made that we are told not to test God, yet in Malachi 3:10 we are invited to do just that. The same concept seems to appear here as well.
The most familiar passage from Luke 11 is the instruction “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Sandwiched between this comment and Jesus’ teaching on how to pray, is the example of a persistent friend who makes his neighbor get out of a comfortable bed in the middle of the night to help out.
One interpretation can be that God is inviting us to nag Him for what we want. The implication is that God will give us what we want if we simply tire Him out with our persistence.
But the verses which follow go on to explain of how our heavenly Father knows how to give good gifts to His children. This leads to a more subtle interpretation. The focus is not on God, but on us. If we are in step with the Spirit and exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, then we will have patience – makrothumia – in our faith life. But we will also be asking, seeking and knocking for those things which are good.
It may be that we will not tire God out with nagging. Instead we will show our faithfulness and patient persistence in our holy desires.
And there is the lesson in light of makrothumia. We should set our hearts and souls on what is good and holy, praying for God’s goodness for ourselves and others. But we must be faithful, willing to devote the time and effort in earnest and sincere prayer. Our spiritual growth and service of faith requires a dogged persistence, a dedication, a sacrifice of effort, from us.
DAILY CHALLENGE: Do you pray at least once a day? If not, establish a time and place each day to be in prayer.
No comments:
Post a Comment