March 16, 205
Indianola Presbyterian Church, Columbus
“Customary Prayer"
by Rev. Trip Porch
March 16, 2025 Based on Luke 22:39-46
What is your custom for prayer? Not just whether you pray, but how you pray. What does prayer look like in your life?
Luke’s Gospel tells us that Jesus went to the Mount of Olives to pray as he had been doing in recent days, other translations tell us he Jesus went to the mount of olives to pray “as was his custom.”
That phrase stands out to me. “Custom” as in a culture's customs, things that are so ingrained to what it means to be a part of a culture that we don’t even think about it. Prayer was not a last-minute decision for Jesus, something he turned to only when things got bad. It was his habit, his practice, his rhythm. It was built into his daily life. Something he practiced so regularly that when the hardest moment of his life arrived, which you could argue was the night of this scripture, a night of betrayal and denial by his closest followers, he didn’t have to figure out where to go—he already had a place. He already had a custom.
But for many of us, prayer can feel like an afterthought. Something we struggle with. Maybe it’s something we feel a bit self-conscious about, wondering if we pray “enough” to be a considered a good Christian. Wondering how prayer fits into a heady post-modern intellectual Christianity?
We hear others talk about their prayer life, their deep relationship with God, almost as though they participate in this ongoing dialogue and we envy them, feeling like we must be missing something. And let’s be honest—sometimes we’re not even sure what prayer is supposed to look like.
Anne Lamott, who is one of my favorite authors wrote a great book on prayer that she titled “Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers,” In it she reminds us that prayer doesn’t have to be complicated. It isn’t about the right words or the perfect posture. She writes, “Ultimately what prayer is … is a communication from the heart to that which surpasses understanding.” I love that image, prayer is the communication of our hearts towards that which surpasses understanding. I love it because it opens us up to not have to be so polished.
I remember in seminary, at the beginning of every class, the professor would start us off with a word of prayer. I’ll tell you, these professors are nothing short of professional pray-ers, in particular our Hebrew professors, who were extremely acquainted with the poetry of the Hebrew bible. They’d improvise these prayers that would be better than anything I could produce with a week’s worth of work. They were incredible to experience, but they also had an unintended side effect for me… They were so good they made prayer feel out of reach… like if I could pray as well as them… what was the point.
But prayer doesn’t have to be perfect… prayer is the hearts communication towards a god who surpasses our understanding… Whatever allows your heart to open up communication with that which is beyond us. Prayer is anything that reminds us of who God is—and reminds us of who we are in God’s world.
It’s talking to God, yes, but it’s also listening. It’s about letting go of our control, our egos, and opening up to allowing God to be in charge. It’s about connection, vulnerability, and presence.
So, again—what is your custom for prayer? Because just as cultural customs shape our lives, our prayer customs are deeply personal.
What does prayer look like for you these days? Maybe it’s a meditation practice, where you spend 15 minutes breathing in silence. Maybe it’s hiking in nature, finding God in the steady rhythm of your steps. Maybe it’s sitting in your car, finishing that last NPR story before going inside, because something in that moment is stirring your heart.
Maybe it’s a particular part of our worship service—the choirs crescendo in their anthem… a hymn you join in singing, a moment of stillness, maybe it’s the moment the communion bread is broken or when you linger with one another after service to check-in with this communion—wherever you feel most connected to God.
Whatever it is, Jesus’ example invites us to be intentional about it. To cultivate our own rhythms. To make prayer a custom, something so core to us that it becomes a part of our identity.
And here’s something else we often forget—prayer is not just an individual act. It’s something we do together. It’s a little easy to overlook detail in the story, but Jesus doesn’t pray alone… he brings his disciples with him to pray. He didn’t isolate himself entirely, he invited others into that space.
I know when I sat down to write this sermon about prayer, I immediately thought of my individual prayer life… my time alone in prayer with God… but here it is all along… prayer isn’t only a solo act… it’s something we are meant to do together! And yet, how often do we keep our prayers to ourselves? How often do we hesitate to let others pray for us?
Another story from seminary, in my preaching class, as part of our curriculum, we were assigned a prayer partner for the duration of the semester. This was the first and only time I had this practice in my life. Our prayer partner was someone we were supposed to meet once a week for an hour. One of us would spend the first 30 minutes sharing about our lives while the other person listened and then would say a prayer over us.
I was paired with someone completely different from me—married with kids, more conservative, from the Midwest. And yet, I will never forget how transformative it was to have this other person genuinely pray for my concerns and the things on my heart. To have another person hold space for me like that. It was such an important moment I can still picture the park bench where we first sat together, sharing our hearts, praying for one another. There was something powerful about being truly seen and cared for in prayer.
What would it look like to bring that into our own lives? To share prayer—not just as private practice, but as something we do for one another? Something we do together?
Who are the people you pray for and with? Who are the people you can trust to hold you in prayer? And whose burdens might you carry in prayer?
Anne Lamott reminds us that prayer doesn’t have to be long or profound to be real. She says, “We can say anything to God. It’s all prayer.” So today, I invite you to reflect on your prayer life. Not just whether you pray, but how. What is your custom? What do you need to cultivate? What new rhythms might you create?
And if prayer has felt distant or difficult for you, hear this: you don’t have to get it perfect. You don’t need fancy words or long hours. Prayer is about showing up and opening up to a God that is already there, waiting to speak, and waiting to listen.
May the God who surpasses all our understanding and yet knows our innermost hearts center our lives in prayer….
Amen.
WE GATHER IN AWE AND PRAISE
PRELUDE
INTROIT “Hush! Somebody’s Callin’ My Name” African American Spiritual
arr. Brazeal W. Dennard
WELCOME Rev. Trip Porch
One: This is the day that the Lord has made
All: Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
*CALL TO WORSHIP
One: Be still and know that God is here.
Many: We come, seeking the presence of the Holy.
One: In the quiet, in the stillness, in the whisper of the Spirit—God speaks.
Many: We open our hearts to listen.
One: Come, let us worship God.
*HYMN 824 “There Is a Place of Quiet Rest” MC AFEE
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION Peter Maurath
Holy God, you call us to set aside time and space for us to be with you, yet we rush through our days, filling every moment with noise and busyness. You invite us to be still, but we struggle to stop moving. You long for us to speak honestly with you, but we hold back, afraid to lay down our burdens. Forgive us, Lord. Teach us to trust in the quiet, to seek you in the stillness, and to pray with open hearts. Help us to meet you, vulnerably, in this time of confession, and draw us close to your love…. Hear our prayers…
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
*RESPONSE OF PARDON 626 “As the Deer” AS THE DEER
*PASSING OF THE PEACE
One: The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,
All: And also with you.
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
ANTHEM “Behold God is My Help” Alan Hovhaness
Marlon Haughton – soloist Text: Psalm 54: 1, 2, 4, 6
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE Rev. Trip Porch
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
SCRIPTURE Luke 22:39-46 The Voice
Once again He left the city as He had been doing during recent days, returning to Mount Olivet along with His disciples. And He came to a certain place.
Jesus: Pray for yourselves, that you will not sink into temptation.
He distanced Himself from them about a stone’s throw and knelt there, praying.
Jesus: Father, if You are willing, take this cup away from Me. Yet not My will, but Your will, be done.
[Then a messenger from heaven appeared to strengthen Him. And in His anguish, He prayed even more intensely, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.] When He rose from prayer and returned to the disciples, He found them asleep, weighed down with sorrow. He roused them.
Jesus: Why are you sleeping? Wake up and pray that you will not sink into temptation.
Holy Wisdom, Holy Word
Thanks be to God
SERMON Rev. Trip Porch
WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD
*HYMN 735 “I Need Thee Every Hour” NEED
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
TIME OF OFFERING online giving is available at www. indianolapres.org/give
On Sundays where uncredited African American Spirituals are sung, any loose offering will go to support the Columbus Cultural Orchestra, whose mission is to advance a collective of multi-generational musicians of color by performing high-quality jazz, classical, and hip-hop music.
OFFERTORY “Variations on a French Tune” Jean-François Dandrieu
Sanctuary Bells arr. Michael Keller
*OFFERTORY RESPONSE “We Lift Our Voices” OFFERING
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
God of quiet places and deep presence, we bring these gifts before you as an offering of gratitude. Just as Jesus sought a still place to pray, we dedicate these gifts to creating spaces where your love can be known—through acts of compassion, through ministries of justice, through sacred moments of stillness. May our offerings be a reflection of our prayers, drawing us closer to you and to one another. Amen.
*HYMN 543 God, Be the Love to Search and Keep Me GREEN TYLER
(O Christ, Surround Me)
TIME OF COMMUNITY SHARING
CHARGE & BENEDICTION
CHORAL RESPONSE “Lord, Who throughout These Forty Days” Day’s Psalter
POSTLUDE
Acknowledgments: Unless otherwise indicated, all texts and music are printed and broadcast under OneLicense.net license #A-702452