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)
I AM WEAK. Paul reminds me of this in the passage above. Some moments I absolutely adore Paul and then some moments he really irritates me. Especially the moments where he pounds into my puny little mind how inadequate I really am. I can assure you that my flesh does not see myself this way. Sometimes I am so weak that I have no idea what I should pray for. It’s an even worse situation when you and I are together Christian, or when you and I are in a group setting, and I can feel myself become afraid and nervous. What do I say? What should I pray? I hear everyone else’s prayers, and they sound and feel beautiful and compelling. There’s no way I can let something out that will even compare to these prayer warriors around me. I’m a fraud. These are just a small sliver of all the thoughts that flood into my mind when I’m praying in a group setting. Yet, even though Paul reminds me above of my weakness, he also reminds me that I have something very special inside me that’s a gift from Christ. I have His spirit…The Holy Spirit.
Knowing this, in an instant, all of these scary thoughts dissipate. Suddenly I feel what was inside me yearning… “groaning” to come out. These feelings deep inside just lacked the syntax to be heard. He puts the words together and then they come out, but one thing I often don’t think about is that the instant my mouth releases these words He is hovering, circling, and moving throughout each and every piece of His body that is in my vicinity. Touching their hearts, piercing them, so they will be open to my prayer…primed to receive.
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 8:20)
Here I Am, Send Me 