Keep On Looking and You will Find It

Many years ago, living in Kabul, Afghanistan, I observed family life much as it was in the Old Testament; thus making many Bible stories more real to me. One such story is one Jesus tells about a man waking up his neighbor in the middle of the night to ask for bread, as unexpected visitors had come to town (Luke 11). But the man’s neighbor told him to go away because he was already ‘in bed’ with his children. Jesus likened the man’s ill-timed and rather presumptuous request to persistence in prayer

Every night when my Afghan family went to bed, they would pull out their mattresses, unroll them, and lay them out next to each other. If anyone had come to the door, the father would have had to step over 6 or 8 people lying on the floor (you see, they didn’t have traditional 'beds' or ‘bedrooms.’) I believe this would have been the same in Jesus' story. But because of the man’s persistence, the neighbor got up and gave him all that he asked for. The Greek word translated "persistence" is derived from two words “no shame.” He was not embarrassed to ask.

Sometimes when Altha and are in a store, and can’t find something, she will say “let’s ask a clerk.” And my response is ‘no, let’s keep looking,’ meaning, 'I don’t want to admit I need help.' After all, didn’t Jesus say “keep on looking and you will find” (Luke 11:9)? Well of course not! Jesus said “keep on looking [for Me] and you will find [Me], and keep on asking [ME], and you will be given what you ask for.” I wonder how much of our independence keeps us from a more effective prayer life—and from God giving us all that we need.