DAY 22 - THE MOST INCONVENIENT TIME
Keaton Tucker, YA Groups Team Lead
“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.’” Luke 11:5-6
“Lord, teach us to pray”. These are the words of the disciples to Jesus right before this parable that Jesus is about to use to teach them about prayer. Like all of Jesus’ parables, this one is loaded with all kinds of goodness and revelation but let’s hone in on one little word.
“Midnight.”
Can you think of a worse time to have someone come knock on your door asking for something to feed their guest? So much of this parable gives reason for a fight to breakout by two dudes in pajamas. Imagine you’re asleep. You went to bed at 10pm because you have a very busy day tomorrow and you’re trying to be responsible for going to bed on time. Two hours into your slumber, at the best part of your dream, your best friend from college pounds on your door. You crawl out of bed (obviously mad) open the door and here is your best friend who says “hey man, I forgot my inlaws were coming into town and I don’t have any food for them, can you give me some?”.
You then proceed to punch him in the face.
Just kidding. But really, that is what is happening in this parable! Not only is this guy not prepared for his guests, but he also waits till the most inconvenient time of the day to come ask for some food to offer his guests. He must have been desperate. He is in a position where the only person he can turn to is his friend at midnight. By the way, this man’s “friend” is the God character in the parable.
Our prayers cannot always be convenient.
It’s easy for me to say my prayers in the quiet morning when I am cozied up with my bible verse coffee mug and journal. I have so much faith in the comfort of my chair. But then, if you’re like me, something ALWAYS comes up that I am not prepared for and you know what I almost never do? Stop to pray.
That is one of the many points of this parable! Prayer is not just for the convenient times, it's for the last minute, worst possible, should’ve been prepared, inconvenient situations that happen all of the time. Vulnerable moment: I have never done this. Never. I have always tried to handle it myself or asked a friend to help but have never once turned to God in a moment of need expecting to be helped immediately. I am starting to wonder how many things I tried to handle on my own without asking for God’s help. What if God just wants to help?
As these moments arise for us this week, for some of us it’ll happen three times by 2pm today, let us turn to ask our Father who is there to help.
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