Keep On Knocking
Read: Deuteronomy 26:1-27:26, Luke 10:38-11:13, Psalm 76:1-12, Proverbs 12:15-17
And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. (Luke 11:9)
Relate: Something woke me up. It was a noise. What was that? I listen, wondering if there are intruders in the house. There it is again. Someone is banging on my door. I hit the indiglo on my watch. It’s 2:24 in the morning. Who is banging on my door at 2:24 in the morning. They pound again. Goodness, they are going to wake the neighbors. “BJ, wake up!” Never mind. It is the neighbors. He must have seen movement in my bedroom window because, Joe, my next door neighbor is pounding again. “BJ, I know you’re home. I see the car in the driveway.” I groan.
My window is open a crack. I open it a little more and call out, “Do you know what time it is?”
“I knew you were up. Hey, do you still have that pizza in the freezer? We just got in from the bar and we’re hungry.”
Are you kidding me? He’s banging at my door at 2:30 in the morning for frozen pizza? I roll back into bed and throw the pillow over my head. The door bangs again. “Seriously, dude, we’ve got a bad case of the munchies. Do you have any chips too?”
“Call Dominos.” I yell out my window. I want to be nice to my neighbors, but this is really pushing it.
“We tried. They closed an hour early tonight.”
Some words come to my head that aren’t very Christian. I shut the window and cram that pillow tight against my head. The knocking persists. “BJ, come on, man. I thought you were my friend.”
I thought I was too. And then you started knocking on my door at 2:30 in the morning. I think I’ve changed my opinion about those gun control laws. I’m buying one first thing tomorrow. He knocks again. I yell out, “Go to Price Chopper. They’re open.”
“Yah, but none of us are sober enough to drive.”
No kidding. I never would have guessed. He knocks again. My goodness, this guy just won’t give up, will he? “Come on, BJ. You’re supposed to be a Christian. What would Jesus do?” Immediately the thought pops in my head. He stands at the door and knocks. This is immediately followed by more of those very unchristian words. Holy Spirit, you’re not helping here. As the knocking continues I roll out of bed and head to the kitchen. There’s two frozen pizzas there and I give away the 2 liter on the fridge for good measure. It is a small price to pay to be able to get back to sleep.
React: I don’t really have a neighbor named Joe and this never really happened. It’s just the tone of the parable Jesus relates on prayer. He’s talking about two guys yelling through a closed door about food at midnight, but sometimes in our reverence for and familiarity with Bible stories we lose sight of the earthiness and humor that Jesus is putting to good use. Keep on asking. Keep on seeking. Keep on knocking. They immediately follow this parable. I’m supposed to be that neighbor, knocking on God’s door until He answers. Am I willing to use that level of audacity in my prayers? Do I approach the throne of grace with that type of confidence?
Respond: [videoembed type=”youtube” width=”660″ height=”440″ url=”http://youtu.be/5_swaxOidGU” id=”0″]
God, there have been some things I’ve been praying for a long time. There are some other things I should be praying for but I’ve stopped. Give me persistence. Give me the tenacity, the audacity to keep knocking on Your door until I have what I’ve asked for. Salvation for family, healing, You know what I need and these things are good gifts You desire to give me. Don’t let me stop knocking until heaven has been moved on their behalf.