Context No. 2907 of 4322 · Luke

Luke 11:1-8: in context

1When he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.” 2He said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 3Give us day by day our daily bread. 4Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’” 5He said to them, “Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,’ 7and he from within will answer and say, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you’? 8I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs.

A disciple watches Jesus pray and asks, Lord, teach us to pray. Jesus gives them the pattern: Father, may your name be kept holy, your kingdom come, your will be done; give us each day our daily bread; forgive us our sins as we forgive; and lead us not into temptation. Then he tells of a man who goes to a friend at midnight for bread and, though the friend is reluctant, gets what he needs because he keeps asking.

Two lessons on prayer sit together. The pattern Jesus gives puts God's name and kingdom before our own needs, then asks for the basics, bread, forgiveness, protection, a prayer of humility and dependence. And the parable urges persistence: keep asking, keep knocking, do not give up because the answer seems slow in coming. God is nothing like the reluctant friend; but if even a reluctant friend yields to persistence, how much more will the Father give to those who keep asking him.

Does my praying put God's name and kingdom first, and do I keep asking with persistence, or give up when the answer is slow?

Sources

Luke 11:2: "Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven."
Luke 11:9: "Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you."
Luke 18:7: "Won't God avenge his chosen ones who are crying out to him day and night?"