He (Jesus) said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine who is on a journey has come to me, and I do not have anything to set before him.’ And the one inside replies, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you.’ (Luke 11:5-7)
Have you ever received the answer, “Don’t bother me?” When I was a child, I heard it from my father when our family drove to church on a cold winter day. The car was filled with cigarette smoke, and I could hardly breathe. I asked my parents to stop smoking. My father answered, “Don’t bother me.” I heard, “I don’t care.”
In this story, a man got unannounced company (there were no telephones). He went to his neighbor’s house at midnight, and his family was asleep on the floor of their one-room house. He asked his neighbor for bread to feed his company, but his neighbor shouted through the window, “Don’t bother me.”
Further in this story, Jesus asks: “How much more will your heavenly father give?” When our family, friends, and neighbors tell us, “Don’t bother me,” and give us nothing to meet our needs, Jesus says God will give us more, even at midnight. In our darkest times when no one else wants to be bothered, God cares. He wants to hear from us in prayer.
Father God, my neighbors and family are busy. Everyone says, “Don’t bother me.” But Jesus says You want to be bothered to give me more. Be with me, God. I need you. In Jesus’ precious name I pray. Amen.
I think that everyone has experienced indifference from someone in their life. “Don’t bother me” is indifference. You were probably indifferent with your children from time to time. If someone hasn’t experienced indifference from family, then it might have been a friend or a co-worker who was indifferent. There are times when we don’t have time for anyone other than ourselves and what we need to accomplish. But, unlike family, friends and co-workers, God always has time for us. He wants us to pray and ask Him for what we need.
You’re right, when we have needs and feelings we want to share, it is great to have God who is always willing to give and listen.