Luke
11:1-13— Jesus gives the Lord’s
Prayer and teaches persistence in prayer. It is common practice for many to ask
once and forget it. How long should we pray for something? Is unanswered prayer
a “no” answer? In the Gospel for Sunday Jesus teaches that there is no limit to
the number of times we pray. The friend wanting bread comes at midnight when
his friend is in bed. The man wanting to borrow bread kept asking and pounding
until in desperation he got out of bed and gave the food. It wasn’t because of
friendship but because his friend would not quit bothering him. He would not
take “No” for an answer. Jesus teaches that we should ask, see, and finally knock
to get what we want. Persistence in prayer is necessary.
In direct response to the request by the disciples
that He teach them to pray Jesus gives them the Lord’s Prayer. The small divergences
between the form of the Lord’s Prayer here and that in Matthew’s Gospel are an
indication that the essential point is not an exact repetition of the words. In
this lesson which emphasis is placed upon relationship here. God is identified
as “father.” The disciples do not come to someone out of who gifts have to be
unwillingly extracted, but to a father who delights to supply his children’s
needs.
Jesus offers a most excellent illustration pertaining
to persistent prayer. Since the whole family slept in one room, it was a great
imposition to disturb the householder, because it involved disturbing and
rousing the whole family. Not only did the midnight visitor disturb, he knocked
on with “shameless persistence,” until the householder acquiesced in the
requests of the determined borrower. To the petitions of the disciples Jesus
gives the definite promise that their prayers will be heard and draws attention
to the best gift of all, His Holy Spirit.
For steadfast faith: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, because of Your tender
love toward us sinners You have given us Your Son that, believing in Him, we
might have everlasting life. Continue to grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may
remain steadfast in the faith to the end and finally come to love everlasting;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.[2]
[1] Lift High the Cross copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[2] Collect for a steadfast faith in Christ, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. St. Louis
[3] Collect for Friday of the week of Pentecost 7, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. II © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
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