Jump Start # 2523

Romans 8:26 “In the same way the Spirit also helps with our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with us with groanings too deep for words.”

Our verse today is found in a series of verses about the Spirit. God is actively doing things in our lives even if we are not aware of it or understand it. Our verse is about prayer, that wonderful blessing and privilege we have of talking to God.

For a moment thnk about prayer. One can pray anywhere and anytime. There is never a place where prayer doesn’t fit. The remarkable idea that you and I can have the attention of God anytime or anyplace is hard to fathom. I love my dear wife, but there are times when I can’t talk to her. She’s a nurse and at work she doesn’t carry her phone around. In the middle of the night, she’s sleeping and that is much more important than anything I have to say. I adore my kids, but it’s the same with them. They are at work. They are busy doing things. I do not have a 24/7 with my family. Love my shpeherds, but it’s the same with them. I have some dear friends. I may shoot them a text or an email, and sometimes it’s the next day before I hear back from them. That’s life. That’s the world we live in. But it’s not that way in prayer. God is there. He is always there. You never bother God. You can catch God at a bad time.

Now a few things from this passage:

First, “we do not know how to pay as we should.” Such an honest statement. Oh, we understand Prayer 101 and reverence, God’s will, providence and such things as that. We hear sermons about those things all the time. But are we praying as we ought to? I’ve never met a Christian who confessed that he struggled because he prayed TOO much. Never found that guy. We admit that we do not pray enough. We do not choose prayer first. We do not pray deep prayers. That’s a problem. It’s a life long struggle for many of us. “Have you prayed about it,” is a constant thing we need to remember.

Second, we have weaknesses. We all do. We like to hide them. We don’t like to admit to them. We brag about what we are good at, but our failings haunt us. We all have them. The strongest, has weak points. The weakest, has many more, but they both have weaknesses. One of the great challenges is do we focus upon our strengths and get them even stronger, or do we shore up our weakeness and pour more attention upon those areas? Great thing to kick around and debate.

Thrid, God knows our weaknesses. The Holy Spirit was stepping in and helping. The Spirit was helping with our weaknesses. He knew we had weaknesses. He knew what they were. And, instead of being disappointed in us for having them, the Spirit helps us. God hasn’t left us alone to figure things out. God doesn’t say, “Get cleaned up, then get down to the church house.” He helps. And, when God helps, we are getting the greatest help of all—God. No one can help with your weaknesses like God can. No one can do as much as God can.

Fourth, God is doing things that we may not even be aware of. The Spirit is interceding for us. We are not told what the Spirit says or does. He is doing this behind the scenes. He is doing this because God loves us. He is doing this to help us. He is doing this because we are beyond words. Pain can do that to us. We hurt. We hurt on the insides. Often, it’s not physical pain, but the emotional and spiritual pain that comes from others. Families can do this so easily. Those we love the most, can hurt us the most. The pain of divorce and now the children and grandchildren are shifted about. You may be cut out from seeing your own family. There are no words. Death can also do this. A sudden death can take those that we are counting on so much. Empty. Alone. Hurting. Beyond words.

Fifth, what the Spirit is doing is not words, but grouanings. It’s that deep, internal feeling that cannot be expressed by words. The Spirit is groaning on our behalf. The Spirit understands. The Spirit is with us. He is on our side. We are groaning and the Spirit is groaning. The Spirit knows. God knows. And, what is comforting is that without this passage, we’d never know this. It just makes a person wonder what all goes on behind the scenes that we never realize. I have longed believed that when we get to Heaven, we will be amazed to learn all the things God did for us. People He put in our lives. Things that can down the pike just for us to help us, teach us, strengthen us and draw us closer to Him. God is not on the sidelines of life simply watching us in the game of life. He is engaged. He is there doing things that you and I would never imagine.

So, when the dark clouds row in, and they will, don’t give up. God is with you, if you are with Him. Don’t believe for a moment that you are alone in this long journey. Don’t fail to see God, even though you cannot physically see Him. He loves you. He wants you to get through those dark days of weakiness.

The Spirit is speaking in your behalf. He may be doing so even right now. So, rather than hanging your head down in sorrow, lift your eyes up to the God who loves you so much.

Roger