A Message from Bishop Stuck:

"Reluctant and Grouchy Partners in Mission?"
September, 2004

other articles by Bishop Stuck

Dear Friend of God,

I address you as "friend of God" for I assume that's what you are if you are reading this article. The Evangelist Luke addressed his gospel and his book on the Acts of the Apostles to Theophilus, which means "friend of God." No one knows for sure who Theophilus was, but it is apparent that the author of Luke and Acts wanted to communicate the truth about Jesus Christ to all who call themselves friends of God.

And the truth he communicates is that God is our friend in Jesus Christ. He came "to seek and to save the lost" which includes us. He was accused by his enemies of being "a friend of tax collectors and sinners." He suffered and died on the Cross for us. After he arose from the dead he appeared to the disciples to assure them of his continued presence through the gift of the Spirit. God is a faithful friend who seeks and saves the lost.

Another subplot that runs through Luke and Acts is the call to join God in this act of friendship for the sake of all of God's friends. I say this because of how I have come to understand one of Jesus' parables in Luke. In the midst of talking about prayer Jesus says:

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; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him" And 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." I 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."

Most have interpreted this parable as an encouragement for us to be persistent in our prayer life being assured that God will listen and answer. I have always had trouble with that interpretation because it makes God a reluctant and grouchy partner in mission.

However, I now see this parable in a different way. I would prefer to think of God as the friend who knocks at my door in the middle of the night with a request for me to be about the mission of God in the world. I am the one who doesn't want my life disturbed. I don't want my house and world turned upside down to respond to my friend God's request to provide hospitality for another friend. Yet, even though I won't respond because God is my friend, I will respond because of God's persistence. I am the reluctant and grouchy partner in mission and God is the persistent one.

When we see this parable in this way then prayer takes on a whole new dimension. When we pray we open ourselves to the persistent knocking of God at the door of our hearts to be about the mission of God in the world showing love and compassion to all.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus follows this parable by saying: "Ask, and it will be given you; search and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you." God not only wants to be your faithful friend, but also has called us to be faithful friends and has given us the means to do this simply by asking, searching and knocking. May we trust this promise as we seek to respond to the persistent knocking of the Holy Spirit.

Your partner in prayer, Bishop Jim Stuck