In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
Romans 8:26 NIV
Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Romans 8:34 NIV
The other day, I asked Jesus what He says and does as He intercedes for us. And He answered: I proclaim the truth. I can’t guarantee that really was Jesus speaking to my heart and mind, but I believe it was. It could have been my brain kicking it out from the recesses of my mind. An assimilation of things I’ve read, heard and learned. That is not impossible. Does it matter if it really was Jesus conversing with me, or just my mind that He made, being functional? To me it does. But either way, I’m grateful for the awareness, the thought, the insight. It affirms what I’ve been doing and have been feeling very right about. And it encourages me to continue to do it.
One of the more recent proclamations I’ve been given, that has brought me much comfort is: we live in His love. The picture this conjures in my mind is like a radiation of love and protection coming down from heaven. A spotlight of abundant goodness. It feels warm, tender and secure. It gives me hope. A few moments after speaking it I want to say it again – like another sip of hot coffee. More please. I say this daily over my home and family, and often pray it over my clients and friends. I speak it over people I see on the street, especially the ones that seem downtrodden. It is something I can do for them in the few seconds it takes me to pass them by. Does it matter? If Jesus is doing it, then it matters. Do I get to see how it matters? Nope. Not yet anyways. But I believe. And believing what God has said in His Word just might be the most important thing I can do on any given day, at any given moment. Even if that belief is nothing more than a hunch. God receives the hunch, the inkling, the mustard seed we offer as prayer (Matthew 17:20). It welcomes Him and the goodness He desires to do and give.
And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 NIV
If God simply spoke and creation came into being, what might come to pass when I speak His words with belief? The words He gave to reveal Himself and His purpose for life? The answer is as boundless as His creation.
Photo by Peter Lewis on Unsplash – Thank you, Peter!