Depending

DWELL  Luke 11.

He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:
Father,* hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.*
Give us each day our daily bread.*
And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of trial.’*

And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread;for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.”And he answers from within, “Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.” I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

‘So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for* a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit* to those who ask him!’

REFLECT

Do you pray?
Why?
Does it make a difference?  What?
What do you believe about prayer?
A lot of people ask me to pray for them because I'm a pastor.  And I do.  Sometimes it comes out better than others.  A lot of people will say that they pray or are thankful for prayers.  They say no one is an atheist in a foxhole.  People pray to God when they are facing peril.  But is that that only time and place to pray?  When we are weak, lacking, lost, afraid, or in danger?  

Prayer is something we learn how to do.  It is modeled by other faithful people.  Parents or grandparents might teach us.  Sunday School teachers and pastors prayed. I admit that I am still learning how to pray, why to pray, and what to pray.  I admit that the prayer of Jesus is often the default prayer when I don't know how or what to pray.  Also, I like to read and pray other people's prayers---saints and faithful people from history. I have a few prayer books with exquisite, poetic, deeply meaningful written prayers in them.  They cannot replace personal prayers from my own head, heart, and lips.  But some prayers are worth repeating. In my own life of faith I have depended on a lot of others to have a speaking and listening relationship with the invisible God.  

Someone once said that an atheist is a person with no invisible means of support.  I also know that it is quite possible to get along fine without a personal relationship with God.  Many people who prosper, acquire great wealth and power, do so independently.  Self-reliance and self-support are American virtues. I know people who do not pray.
The prayer of Jesus and the subsequent anecdote he tells his disciples to support his teaching suggest that prayer begins with a humble insistence that God is both willing and able to give us what we seek.
Prayer begins with the insistence that God speaks and listens, like we do only so much more and better.  God is, like a kind and generous parent, able to give us what we need--in fact God gives us God's very self---the spirit breath of life. 

In the story of the friend at midnight, prayer resembles an urgent request a friend makes on behalf of someone else, for whom he has responsibility to offer a gift. I've been in this situation.  Someone has an urgent need at the most inopportune time.  What do I do?  Nothing?  Jesus suggests that we ask God.  I wonder if prayer in these circumstances might create unforeseen options and creative opportunities.  God becomes a real partner with us in figuring things out.  Maybe if we ask the question:  What gift of God might we seek on behalf of someone in need of our attention and care? In this way, prayer is not selfish, though it does involve the self as ambassador or intermediary on behalf of another.  Jesus' prayer teaches us to depend on God for the grace we need to help and serve others.  When we come up short of what is needed to bring healing, hope, and help to our neighbors, we are invited to ask God the Father to intervene.   Prayer teaches us to trust God, rather than ourselves, to attend to circumstances out of our control.  (Like a friend's midnight arrival).  If prayer can remind me to get out of the way and let God act, then it will have done its work. Of course, prayer does not absolve me from responsible action.  It does, however, remind me that I am not alone in my care for someone else.  God cares about those who hunger for daily bread, who cry out for forgiveness, who hunger for liberation from the court room of our own bad judgment. Maybe that's the most important teaching we get from prayer. 

PRAY 

Lord Jesus, your prayer was simple, short, and poignant.  You prayed for the heart of the matter---daily bread and the forgiveness of our debts.  Teach us to pray with simplicity and clarity. Help us to ask, seek, and knock with confidence that you are like a loving and generous parent, willing and able to give us what we need.  Amen.