March 9 | Luke 11:1-13

Elaine Pierce
Mar 9, 2025
2 min read

DAILY READING

Luke 11:1-13

REFLECTION

God's Perspective or Mine?

By Elaine Pierce

The gospels record Jesus praying at least 38 times, and today we read about one of them: "One day Jesus was praying in a certain place." His disciples had seen him praying often, and for some reason, on this day they asked him to help them learn how to pray. Verses 2 - 4 record the most well known of Jesus' prayers, what we call the Lord's Prayer.

But Jesus doesn't stop there. He tells an interesting parable in verses 5-8, and then this section concludes with Jesus reminding his disciples to "ask, seek, and knock," and he says that "the Father in heaven will given them the Holy Spirit" when they ask him.

My prayers so often start off with a perfunctory "you are great, Lord," but they quickly turn to my laundry list of demands. I want good health, I want my children to return to their faith, I want my friends who are in crisis to be freed from difficult situations, I want whatever project I am working on to be successful. All of these are good things, I suppose, but what is my focus? It's on my needs and desires. It's not on worshipping God and singing his praises. My ratio is off, and that might explain why so often I don't listen to him - I'm too busy asking, asking, asking.

Yes, Jesus tells the disciples to "ask, seek, and knock." But what should they ask for? What should they seek? These words in Psalm 27:4 remind us of what our goals should be:

One thing I ask of the Lord, "this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple."

When I start with praise, as he taught his disciples, my perspective changes, and my asking and seeking are centered on him and not on me. He is waiting to sit with me, with you, and he gives good gifts far beyond what we can imagine.

PRAYER

Thank you, Lord, for sending your Holy Spirit. You give me good gifts, and I so often squander them. Help me each day to seek your face, and to follow you. Amen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ELAINE PIERCE

It is a delight and joy to write Sunday's UALC Blog post. I have been a UALC member for 20+ years and I value our community of believers. I draw strength from God's Word, and it is my hope that you join me in seeking to grow closer to Him as we read, study, and pray together. I've been married to Gene for 47 years, and we have four grown children and nine grandchildren. It is an exciting time to be alive, and I count it all joy to serve him, even in the midst of challenges. To God be the glory, for the great things he is doing!