Let Him pray...

Read: Romans 8:26

"Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

What it is speaking to me today:

The first summer after I finished high school I worked for a plumber who focused on new construction, but from time to time would take repair jobs. One time, we went to an old farmhouse in the middle of nowhere to replace a water heater for an elderly lady. We went into the old stone basement and saw the biggest water heater I had ever seen. The average water heater has a 50-60 gallon capacity, this was a massive 120-gallon tank, over six feet tall, and too wide to wrap my arms around." When we disconnected it, we discovered that the lime deposit in the heater had grown to fill about 75-80% of the tank. So now we had a six foot tall, metal tube essentially filled with rock. And my boss and I had to get it up a flight of uneven steps out of the basement.

We dragged it to the stairs. The plan was that he would be at the top pulling, and I would be at the bottom pushing, and I knew as soon as we started up the stairs we were in trouble. I was giving maximum effort, and the thing barely budged. There came a point about halfway up the stairs that we were both essentially grunting and huffing so loud it was more like a primitive battle cry. I am still not sure how we got it up the stairwell, but we did. To date, it is the heaviest object I have ever moved.

In that moment when strength is gone, and only the groaning remains that is exactly where the Spirit meets us. Sometimes whatever trial we are facing is so exhausting, even the words to pray seem a struggle... then the Spirit can step in. This verse shows us that our weakness is not a barrier to God working; in fact it is the stage for the Spirit to intercede. We aren't alone, the Spirit of God is standing in the gap for us... with words that are too deep for us to understand. It's exciting to know that the Spirit is praying for us, when our words run out. When we don't know how to pray, what to pray, how to even ask for what it is our spirit is yearning for. The Holy Spirit does, and He is advocating for us.

What is it saying to you today?

Have you experienced, or are you currently experiencing a need so great you don't even know what to ask for? Or how to think about it? Even praying seems like not enough?

What are we going to do about it?

- Rest in the trust that the Holy Spirit is working too. 

- That thing that you have been praying about? Take today off from praying for it (not all prayer obviously, just the situation on your mind), and give it to the Holy Spirit. Let Him carry the weight of that request for today.

- Begin praying again about that situation tomorrow, and see what the Holy Spirit will do in you, and that situation.