Here’s a question that the Lord Jesus asked: “Which of you shall have a friend?” (Luke 11:55And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; (Luke 11:5)). Sometimes we need a friend really badly, and here’s the story of a time like that.
An unexpected traveler came to a man’s house at midnight. He probably never intended to be so late, but perhaps he had lost his way. But there was one thing known about him for sure—he was hungry!
I have met lots of hungry people too. These people are really, really hungry, even though they have a pocketful of money and the hamburger-and-fries places are open. These hungry people spend their money on expensive restaurants or strong drinks or fast cars or movies or gambling or exciting friends, but nothing works. The same old hunger is always there.
Have you felt like that? You need a Friend! You need Jesus, the Saviour of sinners. He satisfies the searching and hungry soul with good things. But the rich He sends away empty, because they don’t want what He offers them free of charge—free because He has already paid the cost.
The man in our story had a neighbor friend living close by. People in that country had no streetlights and didn’t go out at night except in an emergency ... but this was an emergency! The man had no food to give the hungry traveler at midnight, so, without waiting till morning, he went to his neighbor to get some food.
The neighbor was in bed and didn’t want to be disturbed in the middle of the night. As far as he was concerned, tomorrow would do. But for the man who had the hungry traveler, tomorrow would not do. He continued asking the neighbor for three loaves of bread and said he would repay him. Finally the neighbor got out of bed and gave him as many loaves of bread as he needed.
I have a Friend too. He is never too busy or too tired to answer my need. His name is Jesus, and He is a perfect Friend who knows all about me. Sometimes He answers my need quickly, and sometimes in His wisdom He keeps me waiting. Maybe that’s because He wants me to learn to turn away from all other help and just depend on Him. He has given each of us this promise to lean on: “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:1919But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)). His supply never runs out!
The man in our story asked for three loaves of bread, but he got as many as he needed, and that was probably a lot more than three. Our God will supply all your need, not according to your need, but “according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” And His riches are endless!
Do you know this special Friend?
You may read this story for yourself in Luke 11:5-105And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 7And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. 9And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (Luke 11:5‑10).
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