St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Wesley Chapel, FL
Preacher: The Rev. Adrienne R. Hymes
Proper 12/Year C: July 27, 2025
Luke 11:1-13
Last year, I served as a second-time deputy in the House of Deputies for the General Convention of the Episcopal Church. Amongst the many highlights, one being the election of the new Presiding Bishop, Sean Rowe, was the gift and rhythm, of shared morning worship which offered the necessary rooting in Jesus for the work we had gathered to do. The other highlight for me was the House of Deputies Chaplain who led us in prayer throughout the legislative sessions. At the end of his joyous and spirit-moving prayers, infused with song and djembe drums, Chaplain Lester Mackenzie would pray, “Lord, hear our prayers, ‘for we know that you love it when we pray.’”
Our gospel passage in the eleventh chapter of Luke opens with Jesus actively praying. Jesus’ disciple witnessed this, and wanted Jesus to provide a blueprint for prayer that he had observed was necessary for the lives of those who followed Jesus. When the disciple asked Jesus to teach him and the other disciples how to pray, Jesus, did not exactly respond with the “how tos” of prayer. Rather, Jesus responded with what the disciples needed—which was a “must do” model prayer, which directed their attention to God first.
This model prayer, which we know as “The Lord’s Prayer,” was about how to live with God, for prayer is living with God. And, that when one prays, with intention, they ask for God to give what is needed, according to His will, not what is wanted, according to the individual’s will. Notice that there are non-negotiable prayer ingredients. Ingredient one: Clarity about the One to whom prayers are offered.
All too often, in response to tragedies, we hear, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families or communities.” But, rarely, if ever, is it clear to whom those prayers are directed. One might infer that God is the intended object of the prayers, but it’s not clear. Jesus’ prayer leaves nothing to the imagination. His prayer is a direct, personal address, to God the Father, indicated by hallowed be your name; Your kingdom come.
Ingredient two: Accept the posture of servant who is completely dependent on the master’s provision of food needed to sustain the human body, as well as the heavenly bread, Jesus, to sustain the soul. Give us this day our daily bread. The word “daily” recalls the wandering Israelites’ sole dependence on God’s provision of daily manna, which would spoil should anyone try to hoard it. The Israelites were solely dependent on God and trusted that He would provide for their needs—daily. The third ingredient is accepting the gift of God’s mercy in His forgiveness of our sins. That forgiveness is inextricably tied to our willingness to forgive those who sin against us.
One commentary noted that one who will not forgive cannot receive forgiveness, for God’s mercy flows through the same channel through which the giving and receiving of forgiveness flows. As creatures who have been made in the image of God, created to reflect the nature of God, the words of the prayer that state, “We ourselves forgive…” indicate that forgiveness is what we do because it is who we are. To be able to participate in sharing the mercy of God, with hearts of forgiveness, is the gift we have through our faith in Christ.
The last ingredient is an appeal for God’s protection—that He alone can shield us from times of trials that threaten our lives and our relationship with God. When Jesus gave examples of the human father who gives good things to his dependent children, I am reminded of when single mother, and how my sister and I relentlessly bombarded her with all kinds of things we wanted. Mom’s unwavering refrain was, “I will always give you what you need and some of the things you want.” Jesus emphasized the heavenly Father’s actions, who gives His children the gift of the Holy Spirit—the greatest gift for those who ask.
If we are honest with ourselves, we might find that our prayers to God are often motivated by our own temporal desires—what we want, and not for God’s will to truly be done. But we pray, also, out of an innate pull towards the eternal—to bring our soul’s deep need to God’s love in faith by the action of prayer. All too often I hear people lamenting that they pray to God all the time and that God just doesn’t hear them and certainly hasn’t answered them.
People of faith, hear this: God answers prayers and God gives us everything we need, according to God’s will. Many of us get hung up on our prayers being answered in a particular way, at a particular time. In other words, we might be looking for the answered prayer in a beautifully-packaged gift box, when it could very well arrive in a tattered brown paper bag. Fixing expectations on a particular outcome can only lead to disappointment and self-imposed blindness to the myriad ways God manifests His movement on our behalf. We are to focus not on how God does, but that God does.
Jesus, who is the pattern for how we are to live our lives, lived in a state of prayerfulness—a necessity in order for Jesus to fulfill his purpose. Jesus’ very presence, amongst his disciples, modeled living with God, for prayer is our way of living with God. Like the disciple who wanted Jesus to provide a blueprint for prayer because he knew that it was necessary for the life of Jesus’ disciples, we look to Jesus’ teachings, his ministry, holy scriptures and to the Church.
In those times when you are struggling with your prayer life, do not be discouraged. Ask yourself the question, “Shall I live today of myself and by myself or shall I live it with God?” May we never hesitate to pray to God, our Father, either silently or aloud, individually or corporately, kneeling or standing, when we lie down to sleep and when we wake—because God indeed loves it when we pray. And God loves us as we pray. Amen.
The Rev. Adrienne R. Hymes, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Wesley Chapel, FL
