Pray: With The Spirit - Romans 8:26-27
A retiree was given a set
of golf clubs by his co-workers.
Thinking he'd try the
game, he asked the local pro for lessons, explaining that he knew nothing
whatever of the game.
The pro showed him the
stance and swing, then said, "Just hit the ball toward the flag on the
first green."
The novice teed up and
smacked the ball straight down the fairway and onto the green, where it stopped
inches from the hole.
"Now what?" the
fellow asked the speechless pro.
"Uh... you're supposed
to hit the ball into the cup." the pro finally said, after he was able to
speak again.
"Oh great! NOW you
tell me," said the beginner.
Two weeks ago, as we
began our series on prayer and reflected on praying without ceasing, I opened
up with a story of a young girl who could talk non-stop and said that we all
know folks, again, maybe they’re us, who are the same way.
We considered the
importance of being in constant awareness of God’s presence…prayer not simply
being talking with God, but also listening to God, seeking to hear from Him in
response to the words we lift to Him.
Constant conversation.
Today, though, we move to
the opposite end of the spectrum from those we know who talk non-stop, to
consider those times where we are left speechless. We have all been left speechless at some
point in our lives.
There are a lot of things
that can leave us speechless.
Maybe it is an amazing
and unexpected act of skill, such as the first shot of the beginning golfer had
on that pro. If I simply connected with the
ball on my first swing, it would leave some of the folks that I have played
golf with speechless.
Maybe it is a wonderful surprise
party thrown by our family and friends.
Maybe it is having a
breathtaking image of God’s creation come into view.
Maybe it is seeing new
life enter the world.
Unfortunately, though, it
is not always the wonderful things of life that leave us speechless. Very often we are left without words by the
travesties we witness in the world around us.
Consider news stories we have encountered during the past week alone:
Actor Robin Williams Dies
From Apparent Suicide.
Torrent of Flood Water
Surges Into Nebraska Hospital
NC Mom Helps Son Record Setting
Himself On Fire For Facebook.
13-Year-Old Boy Accused
of Stabbing 19-Year-Old Sister in Catawba County.
NC Babysitter Accused of
Leaving Children Unattended in Van At Walmart Parking Lot.
Rage in St. Louis: Riot
Police, Angry Mobs Clash Over Unarmed Teen’s Death.
Daughter, Boyfriend
Arrested After Woman’s Body Found in Suitcase.
ISIS to Christians in
Iraq: Convert or be Killed.
Natural Disasters. Shocking News. Unbelievable Actions. Unimaginable crisis. Unthinkable Cruelty. All things that will tend to leave us
speechless. Our emotions shut down our
mouth as we are overwhelmed with shock, sorrow, fear, anger, and confusion. We don’t know how to respond. We don’t know what to say. And with all those emotions running rampant
through us, often we don’t know what to pray.
We’re speechless, even before the throne of God.
You know what,
though? That’s okay. In fact it is a good thing. When we are so overwhelmed that we have to be
silent, it gives opportunity for us to get out of the way, and let God take
control, “Be still, and know that I am God!”[i]
God promises throughout
Scripture that He will provide when we are short on words:
God gives us the words to
confront those we are to challenge: “Then
the Lord said to [Moses], ‘Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing or blind?
Is it not I, the Lord? Now go, and I
will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak.”[ii]
God gives us the words to
defend our allegiance to Him: “This will
give you an opportunity to testify. So
make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you
words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or
contradict.”[iii]
God, when we are
speechless, also gives us the words to lift to in prayer: “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 sighs too deep for words.
And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit,
because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
In our speechlessness, in
our silence, we are reminded that it is all, from our very breath that gives
life to words, to the redemption of creation, is completely dependent upon
God. We are reminded, that often, when
left to our own words and responses, we fall out of line with God…we are like
Peter, who has to be reminded, to stop looking at things with the mindset of
this world, and take on the mindset of God…who when confronted with the
unthinkable, had to be told to put away his sword, because his initial response
was not that of God’s.
While in the face of
natural disasters, we can almost be sure that our hearts break in sync with
God. In those other times, it is our
speechlessness that gives time for our will to sync with God’s rather than
trying to get God’s will to sync with ours.
It is here, in the face
of evil, corruption, and pain, that we surrender to praying for God’s Will (in
Jesus’ Name) as we pray without ceasing (allowing God to shape our attitudes
and actions) that we move from desires for vengeance and violence, to desires
for God’s redemption of the situation and the world. It is here, when we are speechless, that we
groan with the world, longing for the day when God will cleanse the world of
evil. It moves us from a desire for
condemnation, to God’s desire that all might be saved. It moves us from eagerly desiring our enemies
wiped out, to weeping over the lost as Jesus wept over Jerusalem. God’s Spirit moves us from surrender to all
is lost, to hope that whatever we face or whatever we see, that God will redeem
it. God’s Spirit intercedes for us,
moving our prayers to sync with the will of God.
In times where we are
confronted and at a loss as to what to pray, let us move from despair at our
loss of words, to peace and surrender to God, knowing that He will fill us with
His Spirit, leading us in silence before the very throne of God, and shape our
prayers into the very will of the Father.
In the Name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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