ce is the soul of intercession. The simplest, feeblest
Christian can pray down blessing from an Almighty God.

4. Note _the faith in prayer_.--What he has not himself, another can
supply. He has a rich friend near, who will be both able and willing to
give the bread. He is sure that if he only asks, he will receive. This
faith makes him leave his home at midnight: if he has not the bread
himself to give, he can ask another.

It is this simple, confident faith that God will give, that we need:
where it really exists, there will surely be no mistake about our not
praying. And in God's word we have everything that can stir and
strengthen such faith in us. Just as the heaven our natural eye can see
is one great ocean of sunshine, with its light and heat, giving beauty
and fruitfulness to earth, Scripture shows us God's true heaven, filled
with all spiritual blessings,--divine light and love and life, heavenly
joy and peace and power, all shining down upon us. It reveals to us God
waiting, delighting to bestow these blessings _in answer to prayer_. By
a thousand promises and testimonies it calls and urges us to believe
that prayer will be heard, that what we cannot possibly do ourselves for
those whom we want to help, _can be got by prayer_. Surely there can be
no question as to our believing that prayer will be heard, that through
prayer the poorest and feeblest can dispense blessings to the needy, and
each of us, though poor, may yet be making many rich.

5. Note _the importunity that prevails_.--The faith of the friend met a
sudden and unexpected check: the rich friend refuses to hear--"I cannot
rise and give thee." How little the loving heart had counted on this
disappointment; it cannot consent to accept it. The supplicant presses
his threefold plea: here is my needy friend, you have abundance, I am
your friend; and refuses to accept a denial. The love that opened his
house at midnight, and then left it to seek help, must win.

This is the central lesson of the parable. In our intercession we may
find that there is difficulty and delay with the answer. It may be as if
God says, "I cannot give thee." It is not easy, against all appearances,
to hold fast our confidence that He will hear, and to persevere in full
assurance that we shall have what we ask. And yet this is what God looks
for from us. He so highly prizes our confidence in Him, it is so
essentially the highest honour the creature can render the Creator, that