Faith Daily | 6 October 2022

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p588

Generous God,

whose hand is open

to fill all things living with plenteousness:

make us ever thankful for your goodness,

and grant that we, remembering the account

that we must one day give,

may be faithful stewards of your bounty;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

GOSPEL for the Day: Luke 11: 5-13

5 And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.” 7And he answers from within, “Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.” 8I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

9 ‘So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Michelle Chapman

Generosity is one of the sweetest actions humans can deliver - to another person, to anyone along life’s journey, being generous seems to be the way Jesus taught his disciples and anyone who listened. Hospitality was a powerful way of life in Bible times and still is in many cultures so when a neighbour asked for bread to give hospitality to a traveller there was an expectation that the bread would be shared. So it appears that the good name of both neighbours would win and bread would be given, even if the “friend” had initially resisted.

There needs to be no resistance to ask our Heavenly Father for what we truly need, within God’s will. Ask, seek, knock on the door to be given what we need - then don’t hesitate to receive what God generously gives his children. Sometimes the door into what God wills for us needs to be pushed open because ours minds are not fully open to God’s plan for us. God is always open to listen to our needs, God wants us to come to Him everyday for our needs.

I have a small poster that says “Your job is to give God all your problems and concerns each day”. Then “Trust God, not being anxious about anything as God’s role is to care for everything about you and God does”.

FINAL PRAYER

“Don’t be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”. Philippians 4:6

Amen.