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Friday, August 21

When we look at the world things are crazy to say the least. The planet seems to be out of control; we see extreme weather changes, sometimes it’s called global warming other times it’s called climate change. We see people acting irrationally and out of control; a young man guns down military personnel in the name of his religion, another man shoots people in a crowded movie theater, a doctor speaks callously about aborting babies apparently to sell their body parts, we see people being decapitated for their beliefs, riots on the streets and the policemen are cast as the villains and those looting, destroying property and attacking the police are cast as victims. And to punctuate this craziness we look at ourselves and feel the same disorder in our lives, the problem is that we cant explain it, we don’t understand why we feel the way we feel or why we do the things we do. Then someone comes along and tells you that you need to pray, but when you pray do you know how or what to pray for? After all, you don’t know what’s wrong, all you know is that things are crazy.

Romans 8:26-28 NIV

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

In chapter 8 of the book of Romans Paul writes to a group of people who felt the same way many of us do today. Not truly understanding what’s happening in and around us and at times not even knowing how to pray. The people Paul was writing to were new believers who were expecting great things from God, but the world seemed to be getting worse and worse. Even the planet, nature itself was getting worse and worse. Paul explains to them that what they were feeling was similar to birth pains, and he emphasizes this by telling them that even the planet was going through birth pains in the eager anticipation of what was to come. His goal was to encourage them to wait patiently for God’s promises. But then he droops the bomb, he tells them that God has placed in them the Holy Spirit to help them even when they get weak and tired of waiting. Then He goes on to explain that God’s Spirit would help them to pray even when they didn’t know how to pray or what to pray for. That through wordless sighs and aching groans God’s Holy Spirit in them actually prays to God for them.

It used to frustrate me so much when I went before God in prayer and did not know what or how to pray. Little did I know that in those moments through my sighing and groaning the Holy spirit was actually praying to God on my behalf. Taking Paul’s example I would like to encourage you to never stop praying even when you don’t know what or how to pray because God’s Holy Spirit in you prays on your behalf.

Pray

Become a part of your local church prayer group.

In our church we have Sunday morning prayer, Friday night prayer vigils and we even have small groups dedicated to prayer.

Make praying your daily habit.

It’s a must to pray in groups but in addition to that you need to make praying a daily habit and when you don’t know what or how to pray the Holy Spirit will intercede for you with wordless sighs and groans.

Heavenly Father, I must admit, I often feel stuck when it comes to my prayer life. But I’m grateful that your Holy Spirit is always there to help me get un-stuck. Lord, I give you my mouth. Allow me to never stop praying.

 

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NEW SERIES / SUNDAY AUGUST 30

NEW DEVOTIONAL / MONDAY, AUGUST 31