Gathering in Christ

Luke 11:5-8

And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him,” and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

There is a time in spiritual like when God does not seem to be a friend. Everything was clear and easily marked and understood for awhile, but now we find ourselves in a condition of darkness and desolation... We are in need, or our friends are in need, or our families are in need, and though we go to God who has been our friend all through, He does nothing at all. It is as if Jesus said to His disciples, “There are times when the heavenly Father will look like that, but don’t give up -- remember I have told you. Everyone who asks receives…”

In the meantime, the friendship of God is completely shrouded. There are things that have no explanation, but maintain your relationship to God, hang in with confidence in Him, and the time will come when everything is explained…We say, “I have asked, but I have not received.” It is because we ask in spiritual confusion. Jesus said to James, “You do not know what you ask”… they were brought into fellowship with Jesus Christ’s cup and baptism, but not 

in the way they expected.

Excerpts from Oswald Chambers

Daily Devotional Bible, Reading 102 (4/12)

From The Place of Help