There was a tribe in Africa that converted to Christianity when missionaries came through. While learning more about their new faith, these believers began to make a habit of going out into a field to pray. Each person secured his own personal spot in the field, and as they spent time on their knees in prayer, the grass began to die.
Eventually some began to cool off in their devotion, and they started to neglect their daily prayer time. This led to the adoption of a new phrase in the tribe, don’t let grass grow in your prayer field. The problem with many Christians in the church is they are letting grass grow in their prayer field.
Jesus assumes His followers will pray. In Luke 11, when speaking with one of the disciples of John the Baptist, Jesus said, “When you pray…” Notice that He did not say, If you pray, but When you pray. Prayer should be a part of the Christian’s routine.
Jesus continued with a humorous parable about a man who had unexpected company, so he began to bang on his neighbor’s door at midnight, begging him to bring out food so he would have something to feed his guest. We are so inclined to run to God when we are in a jam, but we do not spend time with Him in fellowship when life is a breeze. We bang on heaven’s door at midnight to say help, but not at noon to say hello.
Then, to illustrate how good God is, Jesus said that even earthly human fathers know how to give good things. If your son asks for a fish and eggs for dinner, you would never serve him serpent with a side of scorpion.
Then in v.13 Jesus concluded, “If 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!”
Jesus argued from the lesser to the greater, saying that fallible fathers make good choices for their children, so how much more will our Heavenly Father do for the children He loves? So do not let grass grow in your prayer field. Get on your knees and wear out a path to heaven’s door.