I am now ending my third week on sabbatical. So far, it’s going way too quickly! In addition to working on research for my doctoral thesis, I’m using this time to have more thorough prayer time. My prayer and devotional life was getting pretty dry. It was more perfunctory than relational; more of an obligation than life-giving.
This morning, the devotion from Bible.com was from Romans 8:26, and, as part of my devotion, I thought I would write what I was thinking and doing.
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.
Romans 8:26 [NRSV]
As I lingered with these words, names and stories of people at church and through my personal life came flooding over me – people who recently lost loved ones, people struggling in their marriages, people preparing for marriage, people who are going through significant life transitions. And it occurred to me that the ELCA tag line “God’s work. Our hands.” doesn’t just apply to service and advocacy, but to prayer. If the Holy Spirit intercedes for people who can’t pray, don’t know how to pray, can’t find the words, or are so burdened by grief or life situations that seem insurmountable, then so can I.
Years ago, there was a woman named Bev who had a stroke and could no longer speak. When I sat with her in her small apartment, she would try to speak, but couldn’t. She would get so frustrated and grab a piece of paper to try to write what she wanted to say, but the words were illegible. I held her hand and told her that I know she has a lot to say and I can’t hear or understand, but the Holy Spirit does. In her apartment that afternoon, the Holy Spirit, Bev, and I prayed … the Holy Spirit hearing her groans and knowing exactly what they meant.
Pray today for others who may be groaning or sighing. Pray for those who are ill. Pray for those who are surrounded by people, yet feel alone or forgotten. Pray for our children – it can be hard to be a kid growing up with all of the advantages they have, yet with the strong presence of bullying and pressure to be the best of the best at everything all of the time (this is whether or not you have children of your own – the children of this community are our children).
Take time to sit with the Spirit and let the Spirit call to mind people for your prayers. Then, do God’s work with your prayers.
God bless you today as you join the Holy Spirit in interceding for others.
Pastor Jeff
Epicurious Lutheran 