July 28, 2013 10th Sunday After Pentecost

Luke 11:1-13

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
    He said to them, "When you pray, say:
   " 'Father,[a]
   hallowed be your name,
   your kingdom come.[b]
    Give us each day our daily bread.
    Forgive us our sins,
      for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.[c]
   And lead us not into temptation.[d]' "
    Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'
    7 "Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I 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[e] he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
    9 "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. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
    11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

 “The Mystery of Prayer”

The mystery of prayer is that it always works, sometimes better than we dare believe.
Prayer is always heard and answered; sometimes in ways different than our asking.

Prayer takes a lot of nerve.  Like banging on a neighbors door at midnight to ask for something to eat.  Jesus is telling us to bug Him, pester Him, bother Him with our needs for he is a friend who will not leave us standing alone in the dark.  He will give what we need because we are not ashamed to keep on asking!

What a Friend we have in Jesus!  We can take anything and everything to him in prayer!
He will choose what is right for us and answer accordingly.  Not always what we ask for; but always more than we asked for!

Pray with shameless persistence and then watch out!    “Ask and seek - take trouble to pray, love to pray, feel often during the day the need to pray -  and your heart will grow big enough to receive (God) and keep him as your own.”
A Guide to Prayer, p. 233

Prayer of an Unknown soldier from the Civil War:

“I asked God for strength that I might achieve,
I was made weak, that I might learn humility to obey.
I asked for health, that I might do great things,
I was given infirmity, that I might do better  things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy;’
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing I asked for - but everything I hoped for;
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.

I am among all men, most richly blessed!
.
“Pray With Shameless Boldness”

Importunity is to pray with a shameless boldness.

Prayer is more then something we do to get our way with God.  Prayer is something we do to discover God’s way with us, and discover how true it is that God’s grace is sufficient for all our needs.

Mother Teresa:; “Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God’s gift of himself.  Ask and seek, and your heart will grow big enough to receive God and keep God as your own.”

Harry Emerson Fosdick, “ Importunity in prayer is not needed to coax God, but to deepen our eager readiness for the good we seek.”

Prayer is one of the most important spiritual disciplines by which we open ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Henri Nouwen: “
“It is impressive to see how prayer opens one’s eyes...prayer makes (us) contemplative and attentive.  In place of manipulating, the (person) who prays stands receptive before the world (and before God).  He no longer grabs but caresses, (she ) no longer bites, but kisses, (they ) no longer examine but admire.”  Prayers for Servants, p. 234

Prayer is a joy, not a duty’ a privilege, not an obligation; it is talking to PAPA - who loves us and will give us more than we ask for.