Ask, Seek, Knock—An observation found in Luke 11:1-13
This passage is one that has been misused many times and in many ways. The most common being of the Word of Faith movement, which would say, “The reason you don’t have an abundance in your checking account is because you don’t ask for it!”
Err. Wrong.
Luke 11 begins with what is commonly known as “The Lord’s Prayer,” which continues on to verse 4. Picking up in verse 5 Jesus begins to teach how impudence is often required to receive from even a friend when he is disturbed at an inconvenient time (v.5-8):
And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.” Luke 11:5-8
Just after this Jesus gives the words: ask and it will be given; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened (v.9). It seems as though Jesus may be using the parable of the impudent friend as a parallel for praying to the Father.
This view must be challenged, though, considering the word impudent.
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