“Which of you shall have a friend,” said Jesus, “and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?  And 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.  I say unto you,” said Jesus, “though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity (continued asking) he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.”

Then Jesus told His disciples, and He tells us too, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”  For, said He, “every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”  If we ask for those things that God sees to be good for us, we may certainly expect to receive them.  Let us ask God to keep us every day; and to give us such things as He knows will be for our good.

[Illustration:  Importunity rewarded.]

THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT.

A certain King took account of his servants and began to reckon what they owed him.  And there was brought to him one that owed him nearly ten million dollars.  But as he had not the money to pay, the King commanded that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and everything that he had, that payment might be made.  Then the servant fell down before the King and worshipped him, saying, “Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.”  Then the King had compassion on his servant, and loosed him, and forgave him his debt.

But when that servant had gone out from the presence of the King, he found a fellow-servant who owed him a little over fifteen dollars, and he laid hands on him and seized him by the throat, saying, “Pay me that which thou owest.”  And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet and implored him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.”  And he would not have patience, but cast his fellow-servant into prison till he should pay the debt.

When his other fellow-servants saw what had been done they were very sorry, and came to their King to tell him all about it.  Then the King called the unmerciful servant to him, and said, “O thou wicked servant; I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me.  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee?”

And the King was wroth, and delivered him up to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

So likewise, says Christ, shall our Heavenly Father do also unto us if from our hearts we forgive not every one that trespasses against us.

  “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass
  against us.”