Unembarrassed Boldness

 

This morning I felt led to read from Luke, chapter 11.  Again, these are familiar verses, but the Lord is always able to speak through His words a fresh message.  The verses that caught my attention were Jesus' parable of asking a man for bread.  Here are the verses - Luke 11:5-13 NIV:

[5] "Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; [6] a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.' [7] And suppose the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' [8] I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need."

[9] “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. [10] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [11] “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? [12] Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? [13] 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 immediately follows His teaching on how to pray to the Father with these verses, and they are definitely linked.  I am going to start with verses 8, for I find Jesus statement interesting - "because of your shameless audacity".  I have reflected on these verses several times, and remember one specific one from about 10 years ago where I gained some helpful insight (to read follow this link: https://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2014/07/approaching-father-with-shameless.html ).  This morning as I was reading through these verses my focus was on my lack, in regards to pretty much everything that the Father has readily available.

That is where Jesus leads us in His next sentence, we are invited to approach the Father.  The term Jesus uses, shameless audacity, in our context seems to mean a combination of expectant faith and humble recognition of our own lack.  The original Greek word used is  anaídeia 

HELPS: (from 1 /A "without" and 127 /aidṓs, "shame") – properly, "shameless persistence" (Souter). 335 (anaídeia), used only in Lk 11:8, is literally "shamelessness" and relates to carrying out God's plan with "unembarassed boldness" – in the dignity of faith.

335 /anaídeia ("no shame, without embarrassment") is the shamelessness a faith-led believer has who is not be halted by human fears – even when others cry "overdone" (i.e. accuse them of being extreme or excessive). definition taken from: https://biblehub.com/greek/335.htm

I like the short description found here, unembarrassaed boldness.  There is no shame in our recognition that we don't have what we need, in fact until we come to that realization, I don't think we will be successful.  The whole picture here is that you go to the one who has what you need, and ask him, expecting he will give it to you, with not a single concern or question in your heart. 

No shame or embarassment over not having it. 
No shame that you have to ask.
No shame that the timing of it is inconvenient. 
No shame that its not for you (which I think is actually easier, as I have a hard time asking for myself).
No shame in knowing that the visitor will understand the provision is not from you.
No shame that you were not prepared.

If I were to replace the need for bread, with something like the need for a miracle, or healing or deliverance, something we don't possess through our own will, I find these verses very encouraging. 

Of course I can't heal, create miracles, or deliver someone!  Only God can do such things, and that is the whole point here!  We don't have it, so we are supposed to go to the one that does have it.  We should not be apologetic that we don't have it, and can't help on our own.  We have relationship with the one who does have what we need!

Jesus continues on and qualifies the character of the Father as being better than any of us earthly Fathers.  He is able to meet all our needs, and most importantly give the Holy Spirit to those who ask! 

We don't have what we need for others. 
We are supposed to go to Him, to lead others to Him, to ask for those things we need, especially the Holy Spirit. 
There is no need to beg, to hope, to wonder, He has it all, we need to ask, and He will answer.
There is no better time than the present... whether convenient or not.

I just had a quick bit of insight.  I happen to be overlooking a river this morning.  If I need water, I know where I can go to get some.  If I need to eat, I now where to go to catch fish.  If I need to bathe, I know where an abundance of water is available.  There is no shame in my not having water or food, I just need to turn to the source that is readily available.  There is also no sense of lack, for an abundance lies with easy reach!  I just need to jump in!

Jesus tells us to do the same, in this case to turn to the Father, to jump into that relationship!  He has exactly what we need!

Lord, this morning I am well aware of my own absolute inability to produce anything.  I humbly recognize that everything i have is from You already, and You have everything I need.  I would be stupid to do anything other than turn to You an ask!  Help me to step into this unembarrased boldness!

Amen and Amen!