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Luke 11:1-13 ESV
“Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And 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 who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him 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!””
In the era of the Old Testament people were taught to pray formally. However Jesus teaches us to start with Father. Abba. To really make a point that we can approach the creator of the universe as our Dad; Jesus shares a story about a father already in bed with his family. The Father’s neighbor comes to ask for help and needs food to feed a guest that visited unexpectedly. At this time, in Jewish tradition the entire community baked bread weekly , so it was uncommon for a person to run out of food. Initially, the father rejects the plea for help, however he did eventually choose to get up not because he wanted to, but because of the neighbor’s impudence. As we learn the parabolic symbolism of this story - We have a picture of the father (God) at Home with His family, the neighbor (an unbeliever) and the Father children (us) resting in bed under the security of their Father. In the context of this symbolism we can draw comfort from knowing prayer is not just about persistence, but also our proximity to our loving God who is willing and able to provide all of our needs.
God’s children are close to Him
We have immediate accessibility to God. You don’t have to yell, beg, or beat the door down. He loves you and wants to be close to you. God is always saying to us “come closer.” He is not a faraway God or a mean God. He is right there with you, all the time.
If God is a relational God, then why should we privatize spirituality? Scripture instructs us to love one another and to read and teach the Bible in community. We need community for our spirituality but also, Jesus’ story shows us that his provision is met in community. Oftentimes the provision you’re seeking is found through the blessing of another person.
As we seek to have a relationship with our Father, we’re reminded prayer isn’t about twisting God's arm to get what we want. Jesus, the expression of the Father’s love for us, wrapped himself in humanity and made the ultimate sacrifice for us to have a real relationship with a real God. Ask, seek and knock…we think Jesus is talking about persistence and prayer but that's not at all what Jesus meant. It is about proximity. Closeness and vulnerability to our hearts is what the Father requires to do a good work in us. We can’t even possibly begin to imagine how much he loves us and the good things he has in store for us.
This week, tryout these to-do’s:
VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
10:30AM / 12:30PM
VOUS Design District
10:30AM / 12:30PM
Church Online
10AM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack
You’re invited to worship night with new VOUS Worship music! All are welcome.
Sunday, May 26
6:00PM
VOUS SoMi + VOUS City
We’re less than 50 days away from VOUSCon! Gather with thousands of like-minded leaders. Be equipped and empowered for the journey ahead.
June 20-22
Miami, FL
As we create an atmosphere that glorifies God, we create space for Him to move. As servant leaders, we carry the culture. Because we value Con, we invest in it.
