Dear Ones:
“And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; ‘for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; “and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? “I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.” Luke 11:5-9
This visitor came at an inopportune time. It was late and he was hungry. The host considered him a friend and wanted to provide a meal for him but he did not have the means to do so. Thankfully, he knew someone who did and he went to his house to ask him for bread. The neighbor was in bed. He did not want to get up, after all it was midnight! But, because of his persistence, he did get up and gave him as many loaves as he needed.
Christ seeks to bring us to see how much we need Him. Just like the host in the story who did not have the means to provide for his friend, we, too, do not have the resources to meet the needs of others, or even our own.
The host did know someone to whom he could go. Even though it was late, he went believing his neighbor would supply what he needed. His neighbor did not want to get up but he was determined he would not go away empty handed and he didn’t. We know Someone, too. He wants us to come to Him. He wants us to come to Him believing. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
It took humility for the host to go to his neighbor at midnight. It takes humility on our part, too, to admit our need and turn to Christ.
If anything, the host was wholehearted in his determination to get what he needed. It enabled him to overcome the resistance of his neighbor.
A real example of this parable is given in the story of blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52). When he was seated on the side of the road and Jesus passed by, he cried out to Him. Those around him tried to silence him but he did not yield to their insistence; instead, he overcame it. He found himself before Jesus and he received his sight. We must be wholehearted too when we come to Christ with our needs.
The heart that believes in God is the one that will persevere until the answer is given and the need met. “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10)
The parable was about loaves of bread. It was an immediate, pressing, ordinary need.
We have those, too. Our Heavenly Father wants us to know that we can bring everything to Him.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God; and the peace of God which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
Love,
Dad
