Daily Bread 2010 - Luke 11
Daily Bread 2010 – Luke 11
1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
2He said to them, "When you pray, say:
" 'Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
3Give us each day our daily bread.
4Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.' "
5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'
7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
After Jesus teaches the disciples the model prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, he then adds some more teaching about the nature of prayer. He uses the example of a man who goes to his friend and asks him for bread late at night. Though the man is not likely to get up because it is late and the kids are tucked away in bed, because of the man’s persistence and boldness he will get up and give him what he needs.
Though Jesus gives us this model prayer, he seems to spend more time teaching our attitude as we pray. He stresses boldness and uses the rationale of a father and son relationship to describe God’s willingness to give us what we need. Though the model of the Lord’s Prayer gives us a method of prayer, more importantly Jesus teaches the relational aspect of prayer and how prayer is really asking and trusting in God.
I know one of the challenges to prayer is when our prayers aren’t answered. I know, at least in my tradition (Lutheran), sometimes we hesitate to ask God and even lack aggressiveness to seek and knock boldly. We are at times resigned to getting what we deserve instead of asking for things we really need, like the power of the Holy Spirit.
Again we see Luke’s emphasis on the Holy Spirit. Have you ever asked for the Holy Spirit? Someone might say, “Why would I ask for the Holy Spirit I already have the Holy Spirit?” But Paul reminds us in Ephesians to, “Keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit”. So though we often pray for physical needs and emotional needs, we mustn’t forget to pray for our spiritual needs, especially our need for the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth, through Christ our Lord. Amen (Adapted from Holy Spirit Prayer, Cursillo)
1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
2He said to them, "When you pray, say:
" 'Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
3Give us each day our daily bread.
4Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.' "
5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'
7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
After Jesus teaches the disciples the model prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, he then adds some more teaching about the nature of prayer. He uses the example of a man who goes to his friend and asks him for bread late at night. Though the man is not likely to get up because it is late and the kids are tucked away in bed, because of the man’s persistence and boldness he will get up and give him what he needs.
Though Jesus gives us this model prayer, he seems to spend more time teaching our attitude as we pray. He stresses boldness and uses the rationale of a father and son relationship to describe God’s willingness to give us what we need. Though the model of the Lord’s Prayer gives us a method of prayer, more importantly Jesus teaches the relational aspect of prayer and how prayer is really asking and trusting in God.
I know one of the challenges to prayer is when our prayers aren’t answered. I know, at least in my tradition (Lutheran), sometimes we hesitate to ask God and even lack aggressiveness to seek and knock boldly. We are at times resigned to getting what we deserve instead of asking for things we really need, like the power of the Holy Spirit.
Again we see Luke’s emphasis on the Holy Spirit. Have you ever asked for the Holy Spirit? Someone might say, “Why would I ask for the Holy Spirit I already have the Holy Spirit?” But Paul reminds us in Ephesians to, “Keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit”. So though we often pray for physical needs and emotional needs, we mustn’t forget to pray for our spiritual needs, especially our need for the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth, through Christ our Lord. Amen (Adapted from Holy Spirit Prayer, Cursillo)
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