Skip to main content

The Spirit Intercedes


In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)
What are your weaknesses? Once I start, my list grows. It gets scary. It gives one reason to suspect that I’m worthless. It’s also unrealistic. The focus is in the wrong place. The more important question is what the Spirit thinks are our weaknesses. When does He intercede?
          The weakness mentioned in this passage is a weakness of understanding and knowledge. We don’t know what God has in mind. We don’t know how to pray. Based on the number of Bible studies and sermons on the subject, we are anxious about this. Based on the number of times I’ve poured forth my concerns about missing the “exit,” I am definitely anxious about this. Time after time, God has guided me, but I still pray.
          Our weakness of mind isn’t our fault. If we knew everything God knows about God’s plans, we would be God. In that sense, He cannot blame us for not knowing and He shows His love and grace toward us in the Spirit’s intercession. There are times when we do know, or could know His will, when we might try Him by ignoring what He has said but claim that we don’t know. That’s a different issue.
         When Jesus taught His disciples, He repeatedly pointed out another of our weaknesses: our faith. I suspect there are others. We are not capable of providing our own salvation or sanctification. If we were already loving, joyous, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled, we would not need the fruit of the Spirit, yet He bears fruit in our lives. Notice something about these things? They don’t change our circumstances. They do change how we face those circumstances.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen!

  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)            Do you like roller coasters? I don't. You spend forever climbing a hill. You get to the top and have half a second, then you race down to a low point. Sometimes the racing down involves tying your insides into knots. At the bottom, you either have to be dragged up another hill or you get off the ride. Peter's life was a roller coaster from the time he met Jesus. There would be miracles, and then Jesus would teach things that didn't always make sense, and then they'd go out and perform miracles, and return to be taught. Peter was praised for giving the right answer to "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus said that said answer came from God. Peter was at the top of the hill.            ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prayer Lists

                 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (I Peter 2:2-3)   In connection with what I wrote yesterday about the possibility that I’m wrong, I’m feeling the need to go back to basics - craving spiritual milk because somehow, I missed something. It’s a little embarrassing, craving milk like a newborn, but the truth probably is that we are newborns many times in many ways in our lives. From God’s perspective, we may never be anything more than newborns, forever needing that milk. On the other hand, being a newborn can also be exciting because so much is new. My mind is playing pinball - ricocheting from one idea to the next and through six more before it happens to hit the third again. The main topic is prayer. I have at least seven organizing structures all somewhat influenced by the movie War Room , which I’v...
Post a Comment
Read more