On Line Bible Study - For the Week November 22-28, 2010

Lesson 467

Luke 11: ⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶ a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ ⁷ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

When you pray, be bold! Don't take "No" for an answer! Is that what Jesus is suggesting? Just as we are completely dependent upon God - for bread, forgiveness and protection (see the previous lesson here) - so God wants us to step up to the plate when we ask. Don't pray for less than what you need, and don't pray halfheartedly.

This prayer seems to me to be a challenge for how we live our lives. There is a wonderful statement by Marianne Williamson about "playing small". I wonder if the same might be true of "praying small". As we anticipate the new year, a question to ask ourselves might be: Have we lived too small?

The parable in Luke 11:5-8 is found only in Luke. There are some cultural intricacies that must be noted. Scholar Darrell Bock reminds us that First Century Palestine folk baked the bread they needed each day. There were no 7 - 11's open all night. The scarcity of food coupled with the Mideastern mandate for hospitality had put this man in a tough spot. He was out of food; no shops were open; and company had come! Here is the choice he is faced with - impose upon his neighbor, or not be a good host.

So ... Is Luke contrasting the "neighbor" with God? The reluctant neighbor, though his argument was valid (My children are asleep; I am in bed; our doors are locked!), was not pleasant to deal with. Is Luke suggesting that, especially when we are attempting to assist others, as the man with the unexpected company was doing, God is more than willing to be inconvenienced?

The story puts prayer into perspective. When it comes to showing respect and love for our neighbor, God is willing to listen to any prayer, any time.

There is one more component to prayer Jesus wants to share with us - we'll talk about that next time.