Skip to content Have you ever wondered how you should pray for things from God? What is our relationship with Him really like? Jesus’ parables are rich with meaning, and this one is no exception. In this parable of the friend at midnight asking his neighbor for bread, we see that our relationship with God can be more like that of a nagging friend to a gracious God. What does this mean about God, our relationship with Him and his gifts.
5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity[a] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. Luke 11: 5-8
Meaning of the Parable of the Friend at Midnight
This parable tells the story of a friend who comes in the middle of the night to ask for bread at his neighbor’s house. The neighbor, however, states that he is in bed, the doors are locked, and he cannot help. The man is desperate because he has guests over, and it was customary at the time to provide food for guests. Not having food would have been a major faux pas. On the other hand, the neighbor was likely in the same bed as his family and children, which was common at the time, and unlocking the door was an ordeal. Getting up at that hour was more than an inconvenience. Nevertheless, the man’s boldness makes him persist. Eventually, the owner of the home gets up to give his neighbor what he needs.
Jesus uses this parable as an example of how we should pray to God. Like a nagging neighbor? With shameless persistence? Exactly—with shameless audacity. Jesus’ point is that it’s not the friendship that moves the neighbor to help, but the man’s shameless audacity.
Friend’s Persistence- Do you have that Boldness?
Do you have that shameless audacity? Do you persistently ask God in prayer? If not, why don’t you? What is Jesus trying to say about the nature of our God?
If you have children, you know that they have this shameless audacity. They ask without hesitation. My three-year-old daughter often refuses to eat her meal, consuming only the bare minimum I find acceptable for survival. Yet, she will still ask for a cookie at the end of the meal. She is neither embarrassed nor concerned about my opinion of her if she asks an inappropriate question. In fact, if my daughter has a strong desire and doesn’t share it with me, I would not like that. This is because I have a personal relationship with my daughter that is not based on her behaving a certain way for me to adore her. I will adore her no matter how she behaves or whether she does the right thing or not. My love for her is unconditional, allowing her to be bold in her requests with me.
This is the picture Jesus paints of our relationship with God.
Barriers to Shameless Audacity
Nagging someone is often seen as rude or impolite, so it’s understandable that this behavior doesn’t come naturally to many. However, it’s important to remember that our relationship with God is not like our relationship with an acquaintance. It’s with the God of the universe. So forget about politeness—God can handle your emotions and desires. Just ask.
Recognize that Jesus refers to the neighbor as a friend. Although Jesus says the man of the house responds not because of their friendship but because of the neighbor’s persistence, the fact remains that the neighbor is still a friend. Are you a friend to God? Do you have a relationship with Him? Perhaps you don’t feel comfortable making these requests because you don’t communicate with Him regularly. There is no better time than now to start building that relationship.
Father of Good Gifts
After this parable, Jesus describes how our heavenly Father knows what good gifts to give His children. He says that when a child asks his father for a fish, he will not give him a snake instead, and if a child asks for an egg, the father will not give him a scorpion. Even though earthly fathers are sinful, how much more will a perfect Father know what gifts to give? He concludes by saying, “Ask.” Now, the question is: what should we be asking for? There is a clue a few passages down.
11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11: 11-13
Jesus concludes by saying that your Father in heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. It’s the Holy Spirit.
Now, I’m not saying that God would not answer other requests, but it seems that in these passages, He is referring to us asking for the Holy Spirit. Have you asked for the Holy Spirit? I agree that asking for the Holy Spirit might not be as flashy as getting a new car or as immediately satisfying as overcoming a hardship or finding relief from an ailment. But I would argue that asking God to come into your life is perhaps the most profound and powerful thing that could happen.
Remember that God is reminding us that He is aware of what we want and that He knows how to give good things. He is reminding us that His gifts may not be exactly what we want, but they are better than we can imagine. Gifting us the Holy Spirit, God in spirit form entering into our lives, is akin to granting us supernatural powers. It would be like a teenager begging for a car on his sixteenth birthday, but the father doesn’t get him a car; instead, he gives him the ability to fly. This is more akin to Jesus’ descriptions of the great things God gives us if we ask. The Holy Spirit within us not only gives strength to endure hard times, perspective on life, and an attitude of holiness, but in scripture, it also gave the early followers of Christ the ability to cast out demons and heal the sick. God giving us the Holy Spirit now is not a scaled-down version of the past. The Holy Spirit is the same today, yesterday, and tomorrow, and He is giving that to you if you persistently ask.
Conclusions
Jesus’ teaching on prayer and gifts is a fascinating example of His unconditional love for us. It shows how we can ask persistently without concern for how He perceives us. It’s an example of His loving grace, as we are His children. It also gives us a glimpse of the good gifts He wants to give us. We just need to ask, shamelessly.
