Knowing The Word in Luke 11:5-8

The Friend at Midnight

11:5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.

Comments

Jesus follows his teaching on prayer with a humorous parable that drives the point home of the need for persistent prayer. He reminds us that God is always ready to hear us and forgive us. The bread the man wants are three small dinner rolls, which would be enough for one person for a quick dinner before bed. Jesus pictures a home in a small village without shops. Bread would have been baked in the home in the morning, and the day’s supply has already been used up when the hungry guest arrives. The host needs to ask his neighbor for help. The neighbor lives in a one-room home, and the concern is that when getting up to get the bread, he will awaken his family. Initially he refuses, but his cocky boldness wins the day.

Application

Consider a time when you were bold in prayer. How did it turn out? Consider a time when you were not bold in prayer—perhaps a time you forgot to pray or decided God was not interested in your prayer? How did that turn out?

Prayer

Abba, Father, I want to be bold in my prayers to you. I want to bring all of my life into a constant conversation with you, knowing that your Spirit abides in me and helps me pray at all times and in all places.