I bowed my head to pray but had no words. What could I say that I had not already said? There were no words to express what I felt. Ever been in that place, overwhelmed by pain or sorrow? Look up, take heart, and enter into the deepest place with God who promises this: "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." (Romans 8:26, NIV)
That’s no excuse for lazy
prayers or for sleeping through your morning time of devotion. What we find is
that as we turn our heart to Him, even in the time when words fail, He remains
our Counselor, keeping us aligned to His will. The Message says it this way: "God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us
along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our
praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching
groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant
condition, and keeps us present before God."
As we pray – even wordlessly –
let’s never forget the wonderful truth that we have a Meditator in the
Throne Room of the Almighty! Jesus, who knows the frail state of humanity,
represents us in the Presence of God. “Jesus, our High Priest, has been
given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the
one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better
promises.” (Hebrews 8:6 NLT) When life reduces us to quiet groans and
tears, He knows what we feel. "So then, since we have a great
High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to
what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he
faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly
to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will
find grace to help us when we need it most." (Hebrews 4:14-16, NLT)
Whatever your place, Jesus
knows, empathizes, and leads to new life.
Grieving? He wept.
Alone? He prayed in the
garden alone.
Feeling abandoned by God? He
cries out the same.
Struggling to find faith to
accept the trials of the day? He did, too!
Even if the only words we can
find are mumbled cries for mercy, He knows the deeper need. Moreover, He
has taken away our guilt and given us confidence to come into God’s
Presence. When I pray I know He stands alongside of me. I am shabby,
without beauty, but the majestic Lord of Glory puts His arm around my
shoulders and says, “Father, Jerry is here with this need, this cry!”
Richard Foster speaks of ‘simple
prayer.’ This most basic form of prayer
is not about eloquence or persuasive arguments. It is prayer that is filled with our
inconsistencies, mixed motives, sorrow, anger, joy, dreams, hopes, longings,
and daily concerns. “Let us pray!” Yes, simple prayers, wordless prayers,
groans, and laughter formed into simple prayer.
The word from the Word is an
invitation - "So, friends, we can now—without hesitation—walk right up
to God, into “the Holy Place.” Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his
sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The “curtain” into God’s presence
is his body. So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable
inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He
always keeps his word." (Hebrews 10: 19-23, The Message)
(This Sunday at Faith
Discovery Church - www.FaithDiscovery.com - I will be starting a series of messages to explore the topic of
prayer and encourage us to follow the direction – “Pray continually!” I am
excited to take on this topic and know that the Spirit will be among us to make
the Word alive!)
_____________
Before The Throne Of God Above
Before the throne of God
above,
I have a strong and
perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose
name is Love,
Whoever lives and pleads
for me.
My name is graven on His
hands,
My name is written on His
heart,
I know that while in
heav'n He stands,
No tongue can bid me
thence depart;
No tongue can bid me
thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to
despair,
And tells me of the guilt
within,
Upward I look and see Him
there,
Who made an end to all my
sin.
Because the sinless Savior
died,
My sinful soul is counted
free,
For God the Just is
satisfied,
To look on Him and pardon
me;
To look on Him and pardon
me.
Behold Him there the risen
Lamb,
My perfect spotless
righteousness,
The great unchangeable I
Am,
The King of glory and of
grace.
One with Himself I cannot
die,
My soul is purchased with
His blood,
My life is hid with Christ
on high,
With Christ my Savior and
my God;
With Christ my Savior and
my God.
Charitie Lees Bancroft |
Vikki Cook
© 1997 Sovereign Grace
Worship (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing (IMI))
CCLI License # 810055
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