"GROANINGS"

"The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And, he who searches our hearts, knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." Romans 8:26-27 NIV

 In my imagination, Paul's description, though very brief, of what happens between he and our Father plays out like a dramatic scene from a movie. Even though we are unable to sort of "flesh out" the details, we DO know that whatever occurs is "in accordance with God's will." But what does all of this imply?

If we cast it against the background of something Paul said earlier, we may get a clearer understanding:
"We know that the law is spiritual but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do, for what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." Romans 7:14-15 NIV

I guess all of us are kind of messed up, some more than others, but all alike in that we truly want to do God's will, even when we fail. The law was intended by God to teach his people to see themselves and their lives in a "spiritual" way rather than simply through the dictates of the "flesh". But, the law failed to achieve that intended purpose because it was lacking two very crucial elements:

1. Jesus Christ, through whom the grace of God acted on our behalf to actually forgive our sin
2. The Holy Spirit who trains us to live better, in a more spiritual, holy way

Like all the rest of God's creation (Romans 8:18-25), we "groan" under the weight of our "unspiritual" imperfection and wait in "hope" for our "adoption as sons". Paul's vision of the Holy Spirit's personal intercession on our behalf serves to confirm the desperation and sincerity of our groaning. But I really don't believe that the Spirit's action is meant to convey any hesitation to hear or forgive on God's part. Whatever the Spirit does in the Father's presence is affirmed by Paul to already be right in line with his desire and intention for us. So, I conclude that the Spirit is only doing for me what I am incapable of doing because my sinful nature (the flesh) still creates a disturbing barrier between me and God.

I confess that I still have and probably always will have, many questions that I cannot answer and I wont confuse your mind further by submitting them here. But, I have come to realize that I don't need to have all my questions answered. I just need to know Jesus Christ is my Savior and Lord  and the Holy Spirit has been given to me to lead me to a better place than I can get to on my own.

I've also come to realize that there is obviously a whole lot more involved in God's forgiveness and blessing than me simply offering up a hurried, groaning prayer. What I know is truly the tip of the proverbial iceberg, the tiny bit of knowledge that is visible. What is invisible below the surface is a whole continent of reality that only God and the Holy Spirit are privy to, and because of Jesus, its okay.   HALLELUJAH!