Persistent Prayers
Scripture Reading — Luke 11:1-8
“Yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.”
—Luke 11:8
Christians talk and write too much about prayer. It would be better if, like the disciples, we’d watch and learn as others pray. Today’s Bible reading shows that Jesus had no problem having his disciples watch him pray. It must have been the way that Jesus prayed that made one disciple urge him to teach them to pray.
Jesus responded by teaching them to pray what is now known as “the Lord’s Prayer.” (See also Matthew 6:9-13.) But we can be assured that Jesus’ praying was not limited to the brief petitions here. Prayer is an integral part of our relationship with God. Jesus made that clear by adding the illustration of a dialogue between friends. In light of this, we should understand that praying to our Father as boldly as we would approach a friend probably surprised the disciples as well as many other followers.
A friend’s boldness is based on the depth of the friendship, and we can trust our heavenly Father to be closer than a friend. Similarly, if we have a need and approach our earthly fathers, we know they’ll provide as they are able. So too our heavenly Father will give us what we need—and often, much more that is good for us. Mainly, though, it’s our needs that God will provide, not our wants—and we can trust that. So we may be bold and persistent as we talk with our Father in heaven. Jesus says so!
Father, thank you for Jesus’ example and teaching. Help us to grow closer to you, knowing you are our Father and you care for all our needs and concerns. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
About the author — George Vink
Pastor George Vink has served as a pastor in the Christian Reformed Church for more than 30 years in British Columbia, Montana, Michigan, and California. He and his wife, Shirley, have four married sons and nine grandchildren.
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