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. 27 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.
One of the first prayers I recall starts, “Now I lay me down to sleep …..”
There’s a mealtime prayer from my past that you might also have used “God is great, God is good …”
I don’t want to make light of these prayers, because they are a good pattern our conversations with God. And pausing for prayer at mealtimes and bedtime are wonderful spiritual exercises.
There are also deeper conversations with God that go beyond these stock prayers, and include those moments when we set before our Creator the deep longings of our hearts and souls. We pray for ourselves and for others. We pray for healing and wholeness. We pray for healthy relationships. We pray for our family members and friends. We pray for peace in the world around us.
And then there are those times when we can’t make ourselves make the time for these holy conversations. And there are the times when we would like to commune with God, but we don’t have the words. Paul tells us not to lose heart, because those are the moments when the Holy Spirit does the praying for us (the very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.”)
That’s a comforting truth that the deepest longing of my heart, as a child of God in Christ, makes it way to my Heavenly Father as the Spirit intercedes for me in prayer. God knows what I need.
Prayer
Thank you, God for listening as I speak, and as others speak for me. And thank you for caring enough to respond. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.