The Parable of the Friend at Night meaning
Bible stories : The Parable of the Friend at Night? A word of caution is appropriate here. Never are we to approach God with impertinence or a demanding or disrespectful attitude. James tells us that we don’t have because we don’t ask, or we ask with the wrong motives (James 4:3). That God allows us to approach Him at all is an indication of His mercy and graciousness toward sinners. But He is our Abba Father (Romans 8:15), and we are His children. We come before Him as a child comes before his earthly father, in confidence that his father loves him and wants the best for him. And if this man would give his neighbor what he wanted not out of friendship, but just because of his shameless boldness, how much more will God, who loves us perfectly, give us when we come into His presence?
This progression of intensity in Jesus’ use of metaphorical language teaches us just how passionately we should persist in prayer. For example, the more we may feel that God is distant – perhaps because we have already been persistent in asking – the more we are to persist in seeking Him. As the author of Hebrews reminds us: NKJ Hebrews 11:6 [Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)] But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Application: 1) The main point here is that God wants us to pray this way. He wants us to have to be persistent and to have to wait for answers from Him. Have you ever secretly thought that God must get tired of hearing your prayers? Or that you might annoy Him with bringing the same requests to Him? If so, Jesus wants you to know that God never gets tired of listening to His children! 2) On another note, have you ever thought that what you pray about most may reflect what is most important to you?
As I have already indicated, this is a pretty long question, but it is pretty easily understood nonetheless. The question demands an answer something like, “Of course my friend would not refuse to help me in such a situation!” Jesus is simply asking us to think about how a friend would indeed get up in the middle of the night in order to help us with a need. And He assumes that we all have friends who would not refuse us but would help us out. After all, isn’t this what friends do? Discover additional details on the The Parable of the Friend at Night video on YouTube.
The reluctant friend can be persuaded to give in with the friend’s persistence. Yet our heavenly Father is different. He loves us so much He will not let Himself be persuaded to give in to us if He knows that what we request for is not good for ourselves. Jesus said that even earthly fathers will only give good things to their children — they will not give snakes or scorpions. Likewise, the heavenly Father will not give us something if it is not good for us. Therefore, when we are walking in God’s will and persistently praying for something but still have not received, one probable reason would be that what we have asked for is not good. Do we feel resentful when we ask for a long time for something but have not received? Thank God that He screens through our requests and gives us only the good ones. Think of the possible reasons why God may be withholding that thing from us. Through our own consideration, we may come up with the reasons why that thing may not be good for us.
