The Importunate Friend

And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

(Luke 11:5-13)

Few messages are more forcefully taught in the New Testament than the invitation to simply "ask of God." Jesus does not refer to God as an impersonal force in the universe or as some cosmic collection of laws; more than any single title, Jesus chooses to address God as "Father." In order to dramatize the fact that God is eager to hear from his children, that he will not scold them for asking for his help, Jesus gives the Parable of the Importunate Friend. To importune is to persist in a request, to persevere, to stick with it. This message is given to encourage his listeners to turn to the Almighty and continue to importune the heavens until the answer to our problems or deliverance from our plight come.

This is one of those times in the New Testament in which Jesus teaches by contrast. It is as though he had asked, 'If a frail, mortal being who calls himself your friend will in fact respond to your inconveniencing request (even when he would rather not be bothered), how much more readily will God-who loves his children and delights to assist us in any way he can-respond to our pleadings for divine guidance and strength?' Truly, if human beings who are plagued by ignorance, limitations and selfishness rush to the aid of their colleagues in need, how much more will a divine Being who is all-wise, all-powerful and completely selfless hasten to bless his children?