Prayer & Persistence

Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: "Suppose you went to a friend's house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread.  You say to him, 'A friend of mind has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.'  And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, 'Don't bother me.  The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed.  I can't help you.'  But I tell you this - though he won't do it for friendship's sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence..."  Luke 11:5-8 (NLT)

I've always heard people say that teaching a Sunday School class or youth group is the best way to learn, and I totally agree.  Last week it was my turn to do a devotional for our youth group on Wednesday night.  We started out this year with a Duck Dynasty devotional with five topics.  We were ready for the third session, Ravenous Prayer.

They referred to a parable in Luke that I believe I've read before or skimmed over once or twice because I recognized scripture before it and scripture after it.  I do not believe I had ever given much thought to the parable in between.  And it was one of those texts that totally confused me.  I read it, reread it in a different translation and then read what the Robertson's had to say about it.

It clicked.

Jesus was telling the people to pray ravenously, so-to-speak.  The neighbor wasn't going to get up and get the bread because the man was a friend knocking on the door.  He was going to get up and get the bread because the man would not quit knocking at his door.  Persistence paid off.  Jesus tells us, also, to knock on the door over and over and over again.  Never give up.

(Hmm, has this parable been downloaded into our children in the form of persistent whining?)

The Robertson's talked in their devo about how they don't just pray for a meal on their table (i.e. killing wild game) and sit on the couch, they go out and do something.  I love that.  We can't always sit idly by and wait for things to happen, sometimes we have to get out there and go for it.  And with prayer, God will help us in that 'hunt.'

Be persistent.  Ask for anything and everything.  God will listen.  He will either answer the prayer or send you out to get it.