Our PNG members who worship with us get the village parables that Jesus told in ways that we don’t. We hear the story about the man who gets an unexpected midnight visitor and then goes and asks his neighbour for bread because he doesn’t have any; and we think, “Of course the neighbour has a right to be grumpy about being woken up in the middle of the night.” The hearers at Jesus time would have been rolling around laughing at Mr Grumpy’s excuses. “Of course he’ll help out. He doesn’t want to be shamed in front of the whole village for refusing to help his friend with the sacred duty of hospitality. The whole village would be humiliated if a good meal wasn’t set out.” (The word ‘persistence’ is a wrong translation. It doesn’t apply to the asker. It applies to the friend being asked, and is about not shaming himself by refusing to help.)
Jesus goes on to compare earthly parents with our heavenly Father. “If you, who aren’t always the best parents, know how to give your children worthwhile gifts when they ask, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask.”
This is such a positive picture of prayer. Other places talk about persistence and not giving up, but these pictures tell us we can be absolutely sure that God has our back, and whatever we lack in helping others, we can ask for, and it will be given us. We can rely on God, and our ‘village’, to help us out with what we need.
Praying in a distressing time.
I know that peace and joy aren’t always our experience. It is so easy to focus on what we haven’t received when we are in pain, uncertain or full of fear. It is at these times that we need to slow down and pray these verses.
- Be aware of what you are experiencing in your body. Acknowledge how you are feeling, and where you are feeling it. Try and slow down your breathing, and make your breathing a bit deeper.
- Consciously tell God how you are, or what the situation is. Maybe even speak the words out aloud. We are trying to get below the fierce, unrelenting swirl of our constant thoughts and not just go back into them instantly.
- Say this Bible verse aloud to your heavenly Father. ‘You’ve promised that I can ask and I will receive, that I can search and will find, that I can knock, and it will be opened up for me. Well, I’m searching, I’m asking and here is my situation……… (put it into words)…… Please help me.
- Try to let go and allow God to carry a bit of what you are going through, instead of thinking it all depends on you. Hand over control, as you are able.
- See what happens next. It may be sense of peace, courage to go froward, or some event that is a very immediate answer.
