READING: Psalms 70-71, Romans 8:22-39
“In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness . . . .”
Romans 8:26
It’s amazing to me that the Spirit of God lives in me. Think about it – the third person of the Trinity has somehow taken up residence in me, convicting me of sin, guiding me into truth, and empowering me to do the work to which God has called me. God is not some distant being who chooses to be detached from us; instead, He is so personal that He actually indwells us.
Moreover, Paul reminds us that the Spirit also prays for us when we don’t know how to pray: “In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings” (Rom. 8:26). Sometimes it’s indeed hard to know how to pray (e.g., How do I best pray for a believer suffering with a terminal illness? How do I best pray for the safety of a missionary, knowing he or she has accepted God’s calling even unto death?) – but the Spirit always knows how to intercede for us. In fact, He always “intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom. 8:27). When He always prays following the will of the Father, we can know that the Father always responds affirmatively to His prayers.
Again, this text is both mysterious and encouraging. I don’t understand how it happens, but I know that my struggle with prayer need not rob me of my hope and faith. Trusting God means that I turn to Him at all times, including when I have no clue how to pray – and I can rest in the truth that the Spirit takes over in my struggle. He always gets the prayer right, too, so I can look forward to how God will answer. He who loves me enough to answer my prayers also loves me enough to pray for me when I can’t pray myself.
ACTION STEPS:
- Thank God for His Spirit who resides in you.
- If you’re struggling with prayer, pray anyway – and trust the Spirit to pray on your behalf.
PRAYER: “God, I praise You for the Spirit who prays for me.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Psalms 72-73, Romans 9:1-15
