How to Pray: Part 2

May 26

(Luke 11:5-13 NIV) ““Then 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, {6} because 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.' {8} I 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. {10} For 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? {12} Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? {13} If 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!””

(Hebrews 4:16 NIV) “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

While teaching His disciples how to pray, Jesus told of a man seeking bread late at night. The man kept knocking at a friend’s door until the friend got up and gave the man what he needed. Christ taught persistence and confidence in prayer. We come boldly before God’s throne because we are confident that He loves us, hears us, and desires what is good for us. We believe He is full of grace and mercy and will be our helper in times of need. We persist in prayer until God definitively says no to our request, or shows us that it is not His will. Being persistent in prayer will help align us with God’s will, and in the end will glorify God. When you knock on God’s door, knock more than once -- and then knock again. Watch for answers in unexpected ways and in unexpected places, but do not give up too easily. Become a pit bull in prayer. Pray with confidence and persistence. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day