Sometimes I just don't know how to pray. My mom was rushed unexpectedly to the hospital yesterday, my dad's having an x-ray on a lump as I write, and my son is awaiting a possible head CT tomorrow. Needless to say, I awoke this morning in tears. I cried out to the Lord and told Him I couldn't think - that I couldn't even focus enough to pray. It was then that the Comforter, Himself, whispered sweet words of peace to my heart..."when you cannot pray, the Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words."
I wiped my tears, leaned over and picked up my Bible. I didn't want to read, but was compelled. "Just a few verses..." I thought. My devotional book was in another room, so I just let the pages fall open. They separated at Romans 8, and I began reading. Little did I remember or have the presence of mind to recall what the passage was about before reading it.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
I felt eased...so my "few verses" turned into "a few more." I kept reading, unprepared for what I was about to experience:
26In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
A smile covered my face...the kind of smile a daughter gives to her father when she realizes he did something just for her. My Daddy, my Father, comforted me first through speaking to my spirit in prayer, and then through showing me the same Words in print. It was as if He knew I needed that verse to sink into my heart and take root in my soul.
Jesus spoke AND interceeded for me, for my family, for everyone involved, in the midst of my distress....according to His Father's perfect will. He took my deep wordLESSness and created words...my inability to pray coherently for my family and turned it into a prayer on my behalf...all in accordance with my Father's will.
Just had to let you know He's real. He's alive. He's personal...and He's interceeding for you and me, even now.
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