The God of the universe invites us to seek him, to ask–this is part of the nature of our Father. Jeremiah writes, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” and Solomon records in Proverbs (personifying wisdom), “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” Jeremiah 29:12-13, Proverbs 8:17. Matthew and Luke record Jesus’ words that give new meaning to seek and find with a promise that should encourage us all to seek: “because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.”
Matthew 7:7-12, Luke 11:5-13Thoughts about serving others
This link includes a list of posts about Serving the Least, the Lost, and the Lonely.
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Let the Word evoke words. May your life encourage lives.
As a parable, we read this and get the idea that we must not let anything come between us asking God for anything.
When I read through this the first time, the phrase “shameless audacity” jumped out to me. The key to success in persistence. Some translations use the word “importunity” to describe the one who knocks, one who acts with a sense of urgency, “troublesome urgency.” This makes me wonder what burden is on my heart that is so urgent that burns inside my heart, that keeps me awake at night to pray with all my heart with shameless audacity? And if I can’t answer that question, what’s wrong with me!? Have I become content? Lord, shake me up, rock my world. There is much to do, so many who don’t know you.
As a father of four daughters, I can fully relate to this verse. (Yes, I’m skipping the part, “though you are evil” for the moment). Not only do we as parents know how to give good gifts to our children, we actually quite enjoy the process! The secular world gets this as well. While we tend to criticize those who have adopted Christmas as an irreligious event, I would like to suggest this could be a bridge to open a conversation with those that are far from Christ (and perhaps don’t even know it).
If there is true joy in giving gifts to our children, where does that joy come from? If there is no God, why do we innately sense elation when we give to others? That didn’t happen accidentally, it’s built into our DNA and the architect is God.
Lord give us the shameless audacity to ask!