Luke 11 (4)

Pray Psalm 55.16-19.
As for me, I will call upon God,
And the LORD shall save me.
Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.
He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,
For there were many against me.
God will hear, and afflict them,
Even He who abides from of old.

Sing Psalm 55.16-19.
(Bread of Life: Break Thou the Bread of Life)
Lord, I will call on You, answer and save! Noon, morning, evening too, my voice I raise.
Grant me Your peace, O Lord; answer my foes! All who reject God’s Word He overthrows.

Read Luke 11.1-8; meditate on verses 5-8.

Preparation
1. Who does Jesus encourage in these verses?

2. What does He promise?

Meditation
One of my favorite passages on persistence in prayer is from Isaiah 62.6, 7:

I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
They shall never hold their peace day or night.
You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent (literally, “take no rest”),
And give Him no rest till He establishes
And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. 

Jesus may well have had these verses in mind as He instructed His disciples about persistence in prayer. Prayer is an act of faith and an act of obedience. Our heavenly Father delights to find each of these in us, so it’s no wonder Jesus encourages us to “stay at it” when it comes to prayer. Later, He will say we should not “lose heart” in praying (Lk. 18.1). Persistence in prayer will mean persistence in sanctifying the Name of the Lord and in seeking the progress of His Kingdom.

God is not “troubled” by our persistence. He knows that prayer is an excellent exercise for keeping focused on Him and the Kingdom and for strengthening our soul. He also knows that prayer is the best way to realize and enjoy His Presence. Prayer, in short, is good for us. Yes, it can be hard work, given the frailty of our flesh and the many distractions that come at us continually. But the more we pray, the stronger we grow in thoughts about God, love for Him, and the values and priorities of His Kingdom. And the more we can know the holy pleasure of peace and joy that come from being in His Presence (Ps. 16.10).

So isn’t it great to know we have a heavenly Father Who doesn’t say, “Don’t bother Me with your petty requests!”? How glorious, comforting, and encouraging to have as our Father Him Who says instead, “Bother me all day long. I love you.”

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Prayer is a lot like forgiveness. Feelings should not be involved. It is an “act of faith and an act of obedience.”

To prove this point, Jesus was using two friends as the characters for His story. Friends should feel something for one another. Right? Maybe love, or concern, or empathy? But no, this friend’s care level was very low. He did not feel enough of anything to crawl out of bed to get his friend a loaf or two of bread. But because his friend was persistent, nagging, irritating, and downright obnoxious he got up and met his need for sustenance.

We mustn’t think that God sees us in this way; but because of the exaggeration of these characters, we clearly get the point. Persistence pays off. Diligence in prayer is an admired quality. Laziness in prayer is as unacceptable as it is in the rest of our lives. As Solomon wrote:
“Because of laziness the building decays, and through idleness of hands the house leaks” (Eccl. 10.18).
“The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor” (Prov. 21.25).
“The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth” (Prov. 26.15).
“Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom, since he has no heart for it?” (Prov. 17.16).
“The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, but diligence is man’s precious possession” (Prov. 12.27).

Laziness in any endeavor is never a good look. However, diligence and persistence in prayer will be well-pleasing to God. It is what He is looking for in us. We have been given free rein to be as irritating, nagging, and obnoxious as we can possibly manage; and really, how often does that opportunity come along?

“And let us not grow weary while doing good [and while being faithful, obedient, persistent, and diligent persons of prayer], for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Gal. 6.9). “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks…” (1 Thess. 5.16-18). Positively persistently!

“For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5.18). To persist!

For reflection
1. What do you think persistence in prayer should look like in your life?

2. What obstacles can keep you from being persistent in prayer? How can you overcome these?

3. How can believers encourage one another to be persistent in prayer?

Christ encourages fervency and constancy in prayer. We must come for what we need, as a man does to his neighbor or friend, who is kind to him. We must come for bread; for that which is needful. If God does not answer our prayers speedily, yet he will in due time, if we continue to pray. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Luke 11.5-8

Pray Psalm 55.20-23.
Bring your trials, doubts, and fears to the Lord in prayer. Cast them on all Him, and call on Him to give you the strength you’ll need today, that you might not be moved from Him.

Sing Psalm 55.20-23.
(Bread of Life: Break Thou the Bread of Life)
Many assail, O Lord, many betray. See how they draw their sword across my way.
Take up my burden, Lord; strengthen and bless! Let judgment by Your Word their souls distress.

T. M. and Susie Moore

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.