Romans 8:26 - "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."
Some days, I know exactly what God wants me to write about. But most days are like today where 1) either I have a bunch of possibilities to write about and I can't choose which one to go with or 2) I'm totally drawing a blank. So, however I arrive there, be it plenty of possibilities or lack thereof, I'm not confident what to write on most days. And God seems to like it that way because, no matter how confident I am or not, if I'll just turn my heart to the Lord and start writing, everyday there's always somebody who replies to this devotion and says how it was exactly what they needed to hear. Amazing. It must be a God thing because it sure wasn't something that I could bring about.
It's just like God talks about in today's Bible verse. Some days, we know exactly what God wants us to pray. But most days I hear people say that 1) either they have so many possibilities to pray about that they can't choose which one to focus on or 2) they're totally drawing a blank. So, however they arrive there, be it plenty of possibilities or lack thereof, people are not confident what to pray on most days. And God seems to like it that way because, no matter how confident we are or not, if we'll just turn our hearts to the Lord and start praying, everyday there's always somebody who testifies that they sense other people are praying for them exactly as they need. Amazing. It must be a God thing because it sure wasn't something that we in our weakness and confusion could bring about.
Specifically, in Romans 8:26, God inspires Paul to write, "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."
God permits us to be weak and to "not know what to pray for as we ought" so we will constantly remember our need for Him, who alone is our Source of all good things. To be sure, God is a God of clarity and not of confusion. But make no mistake that God loves it when we groan or cry out, "Lord, I don't know what to pray" or "Lord, I don't know what to say" or "Lord, I don't know where to begin" or "Lord, I just don't know much of anything right now," and we couple our "I don't knows" with a "So Lord, you better do something here, or nothing is going to get prayed or said or started or whatever you want to happen." And the reason God loves it when we groan or cry out in such a way is because, then when something does happen, which it always does if we'll just look, guess who gets the glory? Yep, God gets the glory! And guess who gets amazed! Yep, we are amazed! And guess who is drawn into deeper dependence on God? Yep, that's us, drawn into deeper dependence on God, which is exactly what God wants us to be most clear about, namely, we all need the Lord. Wow, do we need the Lord!
And those who give their confusion, cries, and groans to the Lord will see his answers and work most clearly!
Give it to Him, People! Give it all, give it all, give it all, every bit of it to Him! And He will show you He's got it covered!
Praise God!
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson
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