And I [Jesus] tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Luke 11:9
Our verse today is found in the middle of Jesus’ teaching His Disciples about the persistence of a friend who comes to ask for food to serve to another friend who has come to visit and stay the night. This friend not only imposes upon his friend, who has already gone to bed for the night, but, insists upon his friend rising from his bed to give him some food. Now, not many people, today, would abide such a “friend” doing the same to one of us. Such action would probably result in our no longer being this person’s “friend.” Jesus continues the story saying that the man will rise from his bed and give food to the friend because of the friend’s sassiness (impudence). In Jesus’ day, most people lived in a one room dwelling where shelter was provided against severe weather, eating, fellowship, family worship and, sleeping together. So, getting up meant disturbing other family members. But, the man’s friend was so persistent that the man had to rise because the rest of the family was being stirred by his friend’s commotion. Now, Jesus continues His teaching His Disciples about how to appeal to God for one’s needs and wants. But, we must understand that God is NOT deaf nor is God hard of hearing nor does God condone unrighteous, unholy, repetitive droning of our prayers. God is NOT some heavenly ATM machine to which we go for any and every desire of our hearts. As sinners, which is our earthly flesh, we suffer from the depravity of our sin nature at war with the Holy Spirit which indwells each Christian. We do NOT love God with all our heart, mind, etc. because we do not have that capacity in ourselves. Our very souls are stamped by the Holy Spirit and, one day, will receive a glorified body to live eternally with our Savior and Lord, Jesus. In the meantime, let Christians be persistent in all requests to God. He will provide for the Christian’s needs. He promises that. But, God wants us to tell Him of, even, our wants and desires for our sake, not because God does not know those things. In our sanctification, we will come to understand that God can, and will, answer our wants and desires that glorify God and further our earthly spiritual growth. As the Christian grows in Christ, the Christian’s wants and desires come to align with the will of God in the furtherance of His Kingdom. May God bless you in your prayer life, bringing you into Heaven as a mighty prayer warrior.
Source: S C Ball February 12, 2023
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