50 Days of Prayer for Fellowship CRC
Rom. 8:26, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words.”
This interesting verse comes from the very great and significant eighth chapter of Romans, about life in God’s Spirit. The odd word “groan” pops out at us. The creation is “groaning” (v22) like a woman in labour as it waits for God’s future plans for it to be revealed. We humans “groan inwardly” (v23) as we wait for God’s plans for us to be fulfilled. Being human ourselves, we somewhat understand these two sentences. But then v26 comes along and we are told something that we cannot really understand, that the divine Spirit also expresses “groanings” with us in wordless, intercessory prayer. In other words, the Holy Spirit provides some sort of translation of our feeble prayer words and silent groans into a divine communication. How are our prayers deserving of such kindness? They are not, but this is the God to whom we pray.
It is hard to pray for the world right now. It is hard to pray when those we love are sick or suffering. It is hard to pray in the face of ongoing injustice. But listen to Romans 8:26. Just pray with an honest heart. Keep your words few. Admit that you don’t have the words. Ask for and trust the Holy Spirit to bring the sense of your feeble prayers to the God who knows and understands. This we can all do, as the Spirit works on our behalf.
So we pray,
Father God, we don’t really know how to pray, but you have asked us to pray. We pray for the physical creation, even as we hear its groans are increasing right now. We pray for people suffering in wars, even as we don’t know how to pray for people in such horror. We pray for justice for the needy people of earth who suffer at the hands of others. We pray for powerful world leaders, that they would change and use their power, wealth and influence for others who need them most. We pray for your will to be done in this world as it is in heaven and that your Son’s kingdom would come swiftly and fully. Our words are so feeble; Holy Spirit, groaning Spirit, intercede for us, please, and make sense of our prayers to Father God! Amen.