The Way of Genuine Prayer

MEMORY SELECTION: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” —Luke 11:9

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Luke 18:1-14

THE apostles had evidently noted the frequency with which Jesus spent time in prayer—often spending many hours, or the entire night, in prayer. And it was by example that he taught them to seek the blessings which prayer alone could bring, for he truly worshiped the Heavenly Father in spirit and in truth.

On one occasion when our Lord had been praying, one of his disciples came to him and said (Luke 11:1), “Lord, teach us to pray.” Jesus then proceeded to utter that most eloquent of all prayers which has come to be known as the Lord’s Prayer and is recorded by Luke the historian in verses 2 to 4 of this chapter.

Jesus then gave an illustration of a certain man who would, at first, refuse to be moved even by a friend but would eventually yield to the persistence of his friend’s petition. (vss. 5-8) And it is within this context that our memory selection has been chosen: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” However, our Lord’s further admonition (vs. 10) that “every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” has a very positive tone. The lesson seems to teach that genuine prayer and a positive request in harmony with the Lord’s plan and the Christian’s consecration vows will be answered.

There follows next (vss. 11-13) an important lesson in giving, in which Jesus makes reference to earthly parents and their desire to give good things to their children. The key to the lesson, including our memory selection, is in the statement in which Jesus says, “How much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

The child of God who comes to the Heavenly Father in prayer with a desire to know and to do his will has the assurance that he will be guided into a greater appreciation of the deep things of God’s Word. These are things which have been mysteries to worldly-wise people throughout the Gospel Age, and they still remain mysteries to them.

Other things, such as material possessions, good health, or things that are open expressions of one’s own human will and desires have no place in genuine prayer. All such selfish petitions for one’s own gain according to the flesh must be avoided. Jesus indicated that God would be glad to give his Spirit to those who seek it.

In the selected scriptural reading there are two more illustrations that have a bearing on this lesson. In the first (vss. 1-8) the lesson concerns a judge and a widow. According to Jewish law a widow had special claims to justice, as we read concerning “the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.”—Deut. 14:29

It was only after the widow’s continual pleas for help that the judge, who was not a God-fearing man, agreed to assist her. With the story as a background, Jesus illustrated the nature of prayer. The attitude of the insensitive judge is contrasted with the response of a loving God to the needs of his people “that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” (vs. 1) God, who is the great Judge of all, is not insensitive to the slightest plea for help from those who seek him in spirit and in truth.

The second parable (vss. 9-14) shows the proper manner of prayer and the attitude of heart necessary to approach the everlasting Father. Although the Pharisee was evidently careful to observe the letter of the Law, he did not have the spirit of it and took the opportunity of telling God what a humble and upright person he was. The publican, on the other hand, realized his sinful condition and asked God for forgiveness and mercy.

And so it is with the child of God even today. God hears the prayers of the faithful who are endeavoring to know and do his will, and he responds to their requests as they are in harmony with his will. Let us approach him in accordance with these principles.

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