At one time when Jesus was with his disciples they asked him to teach
them to pray. Having talked with them about the Lord’s Prayer, he
illustrated prayer by the following:
Said he: “Suppose you had a friend to whom you should go one night at
midnight, and ask him to lend you three loaves of bread, for a friend
had arrived unexpectedly, and you had nothing for him. Suppose he should
answer, ‘Don’t trouble me; I’ve shut my house for the night, and my
children and I are in bed; I can’t get up and attend to you.’ Now I tell
you, though he wouldn’t attend to you on account of friendship, yet if
you persist in urging your need he will get up and give you what you
want. Now I say to you: ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall
find; knock and it shall be opened unto you. Every one that asks shall
receive; he who seeks shall find; to him who knocks it shall be opened.
Suppose your son asks for a piece of bread, would you give him a stone?
Suppose he asks for a fish, would you give him a serpent? If he ask for
an egg, would you give him a scorpion? Now, if you with evil hearts and
ignorant minds, yet know enough to take care of your children and give
them proper things, don’t you suppose that your Heavenly Father knows
what you need, and will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
[Illustration: SECRET PRAYER.—Matt. vi. 6.]