Luke 11:1-13
Your Story
Have you ever gotten something that you asked for but weren’t expecting to get? What was it? Who did you ask? Were you surprised when you received it?
My Story and the Bible Story
When I was ten, my father asked me where I wanted to go on vacation for my 13th birthday. Turning 13 was a big deal, and so I got to pick our vacation spot. So I thought of the craziest place I could think of, sure that we wouldn’t get to go. I picked Hawaii. And sure enough, when I turned 13, we went to Hawaii on our vacation. I didn’t think we’d actually get to go, but because that was what I asked for and wanted, my dad made it happen.
In the book of Luke, Jesus says that God does the same thing. Read Luke 11:1-13. From the NIV: One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’’ Then he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’ ‘Then the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. ‘So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. ‘Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
Jesus says to ask God for what we need. He tells us to be bold and ask! Here’s the thing: it never hurts to ask for something. You may ask your parents for a new Xbox One and they may say no. Or you may ask to eat cookies for dinner and they say no too. But it never hurts to ask, because sometimes the answer may be yes. Jesus says to ask and it will be given to you. Does he mean that you should ask God for a pony and one is going to drop out of the sky? Probably not. But it never hurts to ask God for help, to ask God to show you the way, to ask God to heal someone, etc. Sometimes the answer will be no, but sometimes it will be yes. Your parents love you and want what’s best for you. They want to give you good things. Sometimes they can give you what you want and sometimes they can’t.
As much as your parents love you, God loves you even more. God wants to give you good things! God wants you to ask God for what you want and what you need. He may not always give you what you want, because what you want may not be the best thing for you. But God will always give you what you need. In Jesus’ prayer that he taught the disciples that we call the Lord’s prayer, he told the disciples to talk to God and ask God for help. In the beginning of the prayer, he reminds the disciples how great God is, and that they should praise God. Then he tells them to ask God for what they need (give us our daily bread). Then we are to ask God to forgive us. And finally, we are to ask God to help us do the right thing. God wants what’s best for us. God wants us to have amazing lives that we use to do what He wants us to do. And God is ready and waiting to help us. All we have to do is ask!
Discussion and Prayer
- Is there something you need to ask God for right now? Are you afraid to ask God? Why?
- Talk about the different ways that God has provided for your family.
- Ask your children when they feel like God has said yes to them—what did they ask for? What did God give?
Pray, thanking God for giving us what we need. Take this time to ask God for something that you really need.
Jessica Asbell is currently serving as the Minister to Children at First Baptist Church of Roswell, GA. She has worked with children in various capacities at several churches, including Winter Park Baptist in Wilmington, NC, First Baptist of Decatur, GA, and Highland Hills Baptist in Macon, GA. She has a Master of Divinity from McAfee School of Theology and a BBA from Mercer University. In her spare time she loves to read, watch movies, and of course spend time with her sweet kitty, Lucy.
