READY TO GIVE
02nd Oct 2024
Luke 11:1-13 is the passage that introduces us to the Lord’s Prayer, but more than that, it teaches us more about prayer and how we need to learn to ask. Verses 5-8 tell of the friend trying to get some loaves from a reluctant neighbour, which then leads into the well know verse v10, “Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened unto you.”
The section concludes with verse 13, “But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks.” Why is it that so often when facing a difficulty or dilemma we seek to work out the answer ourselves, rather than pray and ask God to come to our rescue?
In John 16:24 Jesus tells His disciples, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete.” It is so easy to complain about trials and troubles rather than pray about them.
Joyce is very good at challenging me to pray. A situation may arise and I am pouring out a problem and difficulty, and trying to find a solution, when Joyce will say, “Let’s stop talking about it and pray.” Invariably once we have laid it out before the Lord we receive peace, wisdom and a way forward.
Yesterday I was struggling with shooting pains in my head, I was dosing myself with paracetemol and feeling a bit miserable. We went to bed earlier than usual, and as we settled I prayed, “Father I rebuke this pain in my head and am believing that when I wake tomorrow it will be gone.” When I woke up this morning morning my head ache was gone - I am healed, Praise the Lord.
Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” It says “come boldly” - it is so easy to complain about our situation, to work out our own solutions, but fail to come to to one who is “ready to give” and willing to meet us at our point of need.
by Charles Sibthorpe
