Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose one of you went to your friend's house very late at night and said to him, 'A friend of mine has come into town to visit me. But I have nothing for him to eat. Please give me three loaves of bread.'"
— Luke 11:5-6 NLT
Key Thought
Jesus didn't just teach about prayer once, but many times. Jesus didn't pray just once, but consistently went to his Father in prayer. Prayer is not something that we master, but a grace by which God gains mastery over our hearts. So Jesus stressed its importance, demonstrated his dependence upon it, and often made it the subject of his teaching. Here, to emphasize the importance of persistence, he uses an illustration from the real world in which they lived. This not only made his teaching memorable, but anchored the importance and meaning of prayer in real, everyday living.
Today's Prayer
Father, thank you for Jesus' repeated emphasis on the importance of prayer, both in his teaching and with his example. Teach me to value prayer the way your Son did. Give me daily reminders of prayer's importance to me and to you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Related Scripture Readings
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17
- James 5:16-18
- Ephesians 6:18
About This Devotional
What Jesus Did is a one-year devotional guide through the gospels, using one short passage each day and following the Gospel in consecutive order. Each devotional consists of a passage, reflection and a prayer which opens up the day's scripture and shows how it challenges you to live for Jesus.
What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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