Listen:
“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.”. (Luke 11:8)
Reflect:
Don’t give up praying! Remember that even though it may seem that we are being shamelessly audacious (impudent in some translations!), Jesus told us clearly that we should be persistent in prayer and keep on asking God for our needs and the needs of others. God invites us to be audacious and impudent. How wonderful!
Jesus wants us to go to the Father with every question, every request, every need. Sometimes we need a lot, personally. At least I do! It is easy to think that God already knows my needs (which is true) so I should not “bother him”. But this is certainly not our God! God wants us to continue to be in prayer for our needs, the needs of our friends, family, church and the whole world. Prayer is our most important work as a Christian.
These days I swing between feeling the need to pray for friends and family in need and praying for the needs of the whole world, which feels like a dark place. We are people of the light and can pray for the light to shine in the darkness in the most difficult of places. Our prayers are heard! But this morning it was much more of a me-focused prayer for direction regarding some of my work since I am freed up to do more coaching.
What I know from this verse is that God wants me to keep coming to him. This is so very comforting, and also challenging (as I am very independent) and powerful, because of the God I go to.
This, dare I say, command from Jesus is powerful! We have access and are really encouraged to come to the Creator of the universe with our requests. Wow!
Prayer of Response:
Father God, I thank and praise you for your amazing encouragement to bring every big and little request to you always without any worry that you will not hear me. Help me to continually come to you, knowing that you are wanting and waiting for me to come to you. This is an awsome gift, thank you!
Questions to Ponder:
- Which prayer requests have you been afraid to ask God about?
- What can you do today to incorporate a “practice of God’s presence” where you come before our Father God and Creator Son many times each day?
Breath prayers:
Join us in praying breath prayers each day. We invite you to write your own as well.
Inhale (Breathe in): Father I bring you my concerns.
Exhale (Breathe out): Jesus I know you hear me.
Inhale (Breathe in): Spirit encourage me to keep on praying.
Exhale (Breathe out): Thank you, Amen.
—Submitted by: Patty Jehle
Patty Jehle, MA, is a Swiss citizen, born in the USA, and has been living in Switzerland for 32 years. She is married to Patrik and has three adult children and one son-in-law. She’s a retired university lecturer, and is working as a certified spiritual director, a certified business coach and supervisor, and an independent member care provider and debriefer – and she is on the board of her coaching organization, EASC. She attended the very first LSM and helped with LSM-Zürich.(www.jehle-coaching.com )