Praying for the Spirit

On Sunday, my sermon focused largely on understanding and treasuring the work of the Holy Spirit. It was an opportune time for such a sermon, as it came two days before the first Tuesday of the month (today, that is), when we have our monthly prayer meeting in which we pray for personal and corporate spiritual renewal.

Yesterday morning in my devotions, I read these words of Jesus in Luke 11:

What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 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!”

What a great truth to be reminded of in preparing to pray for the more of the Spirit! And the parable that Jesus told immediately before these words indicates why it's important to pray for the Spirit over and over:

“Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs."

"Yet because of his impudence..." I think those are the key words. In light of this, I think gathering once each month to pray for the empowering work of the Spirit in our lives is certainly not too much praying!