Day 5 - The Parable of the Friend at Midnight

Reading Passage: Luke 11:5-13

Many of us may have wrestled with unanswered prayer. 

In reality, this problem can discourage us so much that we start wondering, “Does prayer even matter? Is God even listening?” and oftentimes we even quit praying altogether. 

We hear amazing stories of how God answered prayer for others, but for us, it just doesn’t seem to work the way we had hoped. Sometimes we may try again, but we’re like little kids playing ding dong ditch who ring the doorbell and run away. We don’t wait around to find out if God is home and if He is going to open the door and answer our prayer. 

Yet we learn in the Parable of the Friend at Midnight that God wants us to come boldly and unashamed to His throne to receive from Him (Hebrews 4:16). Don’t be shy about praying and asking Him for great things. Just remember, He is not a magical genie. He is God. 

Your prayer should be about aligning your heart to God’s heart (1 John 5:14-15). He wants your heart to be in sync with His desires that you can trust His timing and comprehend the love and grace He extends to you each and every day. 

As you read the Parable of the Friend at Midnight in Luke 11:5-13 what do you learn about prayer?

Reminder: To understand the heart of Jesus’ parable here, read before and after the parable to identify the original audience Jesus was talking to and cultural reference points and characters they would have understood. Also observe the ending, which often had an unexpected twist that Jesus desired the audience to notice most.