Maybe it was a thanksgiving – or an intercession for a loved one – or a confession.
Maybe it was a petition – a prayer where you’ve asked God for help for yourself.
These are all very normal experiences of prayer.
So… your last petition to God. Do you remember what you asked for?
And do you remember what the circumstances were that inspired you to ask?
I bring this up because all of us have, at some time, said a prayer.
All of us, at some time, have asked God for help.
We get particularly good at this when we are experiencing need, or distress; when we’re in trouble.
Whether that trouble has been brewing for some time, or if it’s an emergency unfolding before our eyes, the “Dear God – HELP!” is a prayer that we’re good at.
There are times when these requests are just an open plea: we don’t have a clue what might help the circumstance, or what the best outcome might be: but we know that we’re in over our heads.
And when we’re there, it’s a good thing to remember we’re not alone. The “Oh God help!” prayer can remind us that even when life is extremely challenging, God is with us – hearing us, accompanying us in the journey.
Sometimes, however, our prayer requests are quite particular, when we describe exactly what we want God to do. The desire for God to grant our wishes (as we want them) “Lord, please give me this outcome, at this time”… well, it’s not the most mature prayer, but it is a common one.
Even though we know that our prayers should not look like a Christmas list, and that our Almighty Lord is not a sparkling fairy godmother waiting to bippity-boppity-boo our pumpkins into carriages.
Yet: we ask. Of course we do;
And we do our best to learn from God’s response to our prayers.
So here's the next ponderance about when we ask God for something for ourselves.... When was the last time you did that, when things were going well?
When there wasn’t a crisis, or a stressor, but it was a time of stability and goodness and happiness?
Not necessarily when everything in your life had to be coming up roses, but a time when things were generally good.
Did you ask God for help then?
Hmm. Because this is where and when we often slip. When things are going well, we tend to shift our focus again to earthly realities instead of divine relationship.
And it is to that context – as normal as it is – that today’s scriptures speak to us.
They remind us that we need God's help at all times - the good and the bad and the neutral - if we want our prayer life to be healthy and helpful, and focused on that divine relationship.
Because when things are going well, it is good for us to be intentionally connecting to God; not only with gratitude in our hearts - as wonderful and important as that is – but with humble awareness that with good things comes responsibility; a duty of care.
We hear of Solomon beginning his reign with prayer. The new king is living an intentional and careful balance of humility and confidence, of the earthly "I've GOT this!" and the heavenly "only with you can I do this."
He knows that the importance in life is not about titles but about how we walk with God. Solomon understood that as David's successor he had BIG shoes to fill! And while his role meant that he was duty bound as guardian to the Ark of the Covenant; his heart and soul knew that he was honoured to demonstrate to the community his active faith through prayer.
This theme continues in Ephesians; as we hear that God wants us to be faithful and strong in our faith, while remembering where that strength comes from. God does not want to be a supporting character in our lives, but a starring role; that we are strong in the Lord and in the Lord's power, equipped for ministry not by our own doing but by the gifts and graces that have been lavished upon us. Paul is clear that this comes through perseverance in prayer and supplication, a commitment to service in the Lord. A heavenly focus of how to journey through the earthly realm.
Today’s Gospel again details this difference. Jesus says he IS the living bread from heaven. And the folks don't have any point of reference: while our minds immediately go to the Eucharist, that's not yet a thing for the followers of Jesus. The last supper hasn't happened yet for them.
So the people dispute, and refer to their closest frame of reference for heavenly bread
is a loose and long-ago reference to manna. And during the exodus, manna was both a physical miracle, filling empty bellies, as well as a spiritual miracle, a relationship-builder between the people and God.
So when Jesus is speaking (again and again) about bread from heaven, it’s confusing to the people. The proffered gift is a divine revelation, a mystical presence, an overwhelming concept for humans to grasp.
Yet Jesus is promising something amazing to those who can see past the improbability of the gift and the shocking language of his discourse.
This is not just a hint of deity, just barely enough to get you through the day. This is God's holy abundance. Eternal heavenly nourishment. A literal buffet of grace and salvation, offered to everyone who would seek it.
But while it sounds fantastic, many rejected what Jesus was offering – as many today choose to reject what is continually and continuously offered.
Not because they don’t want it, but often because it's too hard.
Not to receive the gift; but to have our lives changed as a result of it.
Receiving this heavenly bread means giving up our earthly status.
It means refusing to believe that we can go it alone, that we're self-made people, that the good days are our own doing.
It means asking for help when things go well, and deferring to God's power in our lives. It's admitting that our best, our very best, is not credited to our own doing.
That is humbling. It's life-changing deference that is opposite to what culture says we should want.
Though we know that this is how we will be truly fed.
When we come to Christ’s table, we pray to be fed with the bread we need for today. We approach with gentleness, with confidence that we will be fed.
We come knowing that we are welcomed and wanted; that we were loved into being.
And so we come with joyful hearts, delighted spirits, and prayerful souls.
We come with trust; knowing that God will never let us down; that God will not let us go spiritually hungry. The bread of heaven is there that we may see it, know it, and feast upon it.
So I pray that we all will have open eyes and hearts to acknowledge our hunger.
I pray that we will live in gentle humility to ask God to help us through this earthly time.
And I pray that we might have the faith to declare our confidence in Jesus: who invites us to the heavenly banquet.
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