"...I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of the friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need." Luke 11:8

This morning during my time of silence and prayer, our new dog decided to interrupt by nosing her doggie dish around the wood floor. The sound of scraping metal jarred me out of contemplation. It was an unwelcome request, at the wrong time and the dog was persistent in her request. Begrudgingly, I filled her food bowl and she immediately scarfed down her kibble.

I mention this because today's reading was all about desperate prayer, shameless and persistent asking, seeking and knocking in order to obtain what I cannot obtain in my own strength. The neighbor with needs in this story, knows that he cannot get what is required by being passive or satisfied with the "no". So too must we desperately persist in asking God for what we need, seeking Him for who He is and bang on the door of heaven until he responds. We must go to Him alone because He alone can fulfill our 11th hour needs.