After Jesus taught his disciples topics to include in their conversations with God he told some parables. The first concerns a friend who comes asking at midnight for food to serve to an unexpected traveling friend. He is not asking for selfish things. He is asking so he can help another.
“Yo, neighbor,” he calls as he bangs on the door and repeatedly rings the bell. “Open the door man. I know you are home.” He looks in the window. Across the street, a light turns on a porch. “Come on man. Open the door. I need food, three loaves of bread will do. My buddy showed his face at my door, stopping while on a journey. He’s hungry and I do not have anything to give him, not even leftover pizza crust. You and I ate up all my food at the game party on Sunday.”
An answer comes over the door speaker. Another light turns on across the street. “Stop ringing the bell fool. The security system is set, the doors are all locked and the kids are down for the night. Leave me be. They got school tomorrow and I gotta go to work early. Leave me be. I cannot give you anything.” The friend at the door rings the doorbell a few more times. “I am not leaving till you give me the food.” His friend inside gets up and supplies what is asked for.
Jesus makes the point of this parable in verse 8. The man inside would not give him what he requested because they were friends. Yet, he was forced to give what was requested because the friend urgently pressed the point to annoyance. He was persistent.
Therefore, keep asking again and again, and continue in prayer. Apostle Paul wrote, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18)
