Luke 11:1-13 (NRSV)
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Chapter 11He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." Verse 2He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Verse 3Give us each day our daily bread. Verse 4And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial." Verse 5And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; Verse 6for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' Verse 7And he answers from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' Verse 8I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. Verse 9"So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. Verse 10For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Verse 11Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Verse 12Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? Verse 13If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Devotion
Luther's explanation of the Lord's Prayer in the Small Catechism is perhaps one of the best summaries of what this short prayer means. In his introduction, Luther wrote: "With these words God wants to attract us, so that we come to believe he is truly our Father and we are truly his children, in order that we may ask him boldly and with complete confidence, just as loving children ask their loving father."
Jesus talked to God in prayer often. He addressed God using the intimate word: "Abba", meaning "Father", or "Daddy". When he was in the Garden of Gethsemane, for example, he agonized over his upcoming suffering and prayed: "Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want." (Mark 14:36)
In the family of God we are God's children, God's daughters and sons. "And because we are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'" (Gal.4:6) So when we pray, "Father", as Jesus taught us, it is the Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of a loving God. (Romans 8:15,16) Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Loving Father, we come to you today with confidence knowing that your love for us has no end. You know what we need today to glorify your name in our lives. For this we pray. Amen!