Prayer is Not Amazon Prime

Scripture

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.

“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. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.  (Luke 11:8-10 NIV)

Prayer is Not Amazon Prime

At my age you sometimes wonder if you are having a flash of insight or some other sort of flash. The other day was one of those times.  Just before Jesus says, “ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened”, he tells a quick story.

Suppose you have an unexpected guest and you are out of bread? You go for help to your neighbour (who’s in bed with doors locked).  He helps because you are persistent. Most conversations about this story emphasize persistence for our own needs. Here it is persistence on behalf of the needs of another.

In our quick response world – one click and whatever I want arrives tomorrow on Amazon prime – we can be frustrated by the mystery of prayer. One prayer click doesn’t get what we want – it is more a process of relationship with God- audaciously asking, seeking, knocking on behalf of those whose needs are obvious, to receive the resources ourselves or through others to meet the need.

 A Prayer for Today

 O God, the helper of the helpless, on the days when we can be helpful grant us the audacity to ask and seek and knock on behalf of those for whom we have concern. Move us in prayer to join your heart in action to meet and advocate for those needs. On the days when we feel helpless, grant us freedom to receive the help you graciously offer… for Jesus’ sake.