Given – more!

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will you Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”      Luke 11.13

Jesus has been talking to His disciples about prayer. When He speaks with them He talks clearly and not in parables. What He tells them gives clear insight into the kingdom of God.

As I understand His earlier words on prayer (11.2-4), the focus is God. Our prayer to the Father acknowledges him as the mighty and important One – hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come. He is our provider – give us each day our daily bread. He will give us everything we need, and He will give it as we need it. He is our source, and also our strength. He will forgive our sins, but requires us, in turn, to forgive the sins of those who wrong us. He is our protector keeping us, as we will allow Him and as we are prepared to do our part, from temptation. Temptation leads to evil and sin. Our God is a wonderful protector.

After giving the disciples an example of prayer, Jesus then tells them to be persistent in prayer. He urges them to be bold in their requests of God: “I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.” (v8) He gives them the most wonderful assurance: “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; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (vv 9,10)

He reminds them how willing they are, as poor earthly fathers, to satisfy their children but how much more our heavenly Father yearns to satisfy us. What wonderful words to hear.

Lord God and Dear Father,

I salute You with reverence and awe. You are mighty, all-knowing, all-being, all-powerful. Your Name is Holy. O Great I AM. I salute You. I pour out praise and adoration to You.

May Your kingdom come and rule over all that is – in the heavens, on the earth, and in my heart. May Your will be done in all things, and especially in me.

I am confident that You will provide all that I need, as I need it. I thank You for this. I lay before You my every need and I ask You to provide.

I know I do not fully delight You in all of my life and living. I am sorry and I ask Your forgiveness. I ask You also to lead me to forgive any and all that I need to.

You have said “Ask”. I ask, Lord, for all these wonderful things in You. I dare to believe for each and every one of them, for You are a great and wonderful God. Hear my prayer and answer it, I ask, in Jesus’ Name.                                                                                 Amen.