Deuteronomy 26-27 / Luke 10:38-11:13 / Psalm 76 / Proverbs 12:15-17
Once again, we are reading in the Gospels about prayer. Both John and Jesus taught their disciples to pray. I don’t know that John’s teaching on prayer is recorded – at least I couldn’t find it. But Jesus’s teaching is recorded in varying forms in the Gospels.
Everyone is familiar with The Lord’s Prayer. Here in Luke, I appreciate how Jesus followed the prayer with a story and practical instruction to those listening. He told the story of two friends, one in need of bread and one who was reluctant to get out of bed to help. As the first friend persisted, the sleeping friend did finally get up and help.
There is a connotation of continuing to ask, seek and knock – to be persistent when we need something both in the physical and in prayer. Then Jesus said, “For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11:10)
Then Jesus reminds those listening that if their own children asked for certain things, they would not give them something harmful. Jesus knows we love our children and would not purposefully hurt them. Above that, He knows that His Father knows EVEN BETTER what His children need and even more so, He would not give to us something that would be harmful.
Luke 11:13 “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.”
How much more…. Give the Holy Spirit.
When we’re asking for something in prayer, we see our situation only in part. God has the bird’s eye view. He sees our lives from beginning to end and He knows what will best help us navigate through life. Some become disheartened or even angry when prayers appear not to be answered. But verse 10 says that if we ask, we receive. How can that be?
Our perspective on what we need is often not the same as God’s perspective. We may think we need a certain thing, and God knows that thing will either not be helpful or will derail us in some way. So, He answers, but when it’s not according to our expectations, we assume He did not answer.
It will be interesting to get to heaven one day where we’ll see the “map of our lives”. Then we’ll know why life seemed difficult or confusing at times. We’ll understand why God seemed to be slow to answer, or not to have answered at all. And we’ll smile, thank Him, and praise Him for His perfect will.
He loves us so much! So, today, if you’re not sure how to pray, ask for the Holy Spirit and according to verse 13, you will receive that gift. And with the gift of the Holy Spirit, you’ll receive wisdom, boldness, patience and maybe even the thing you most long for – that specific answer to your prayer.
