When my daughter Leigh was 2 years old, she talked nonstop. At least, I guess it was talking. She would point and jabber and put her hands on her hips and swing her arms around, trying in vain to tell her dad and me what she wanted.
We could not understand a thing she was trying to say . . . but big brother Tyler, who was 4, was an amazing interpreter for Leigh.
She would throw syllables together, look at him and he would translate “Your baby is hungry” or “Your baby wants to go outside” or “Your baby can’t find Kasheen Heidi Riegel” (her doll) and she would turn to us with a “Yes!” smile on her face.
Although Leigh was unable to put into words exactly what she wanted to say, she had a big brother who was able to speak on her behalf to share with Dad and Mom what the need was at that moment.
Just as my daughter struggled with communicating her needs, we often do not know how to express our needs as we go before the Lord in prayer. Our Father knew there would be those times when that would happen so in His love He gave us a helper – the Holy Spirit – to speak on our behalf “with groans that words cannot express.”
The Holy Spirit, who lives in each of us, knows us intimately. He knows our weaknesses and our failings and He longs to come along side us and take our requests to the Father. And because they are always in complete harmony and agreement, the groaning of the Spirit makes perfect sense to the Father.
So tell me, what are you struggling with in prayer? Are you facing grief that is taking your breath away or heartache that is pulling you under? Are you facing a crisis situation and you just don’t know what to do?
May I suggest asking the Holy Spirit to go before the Father on your behalf? He knows your needs, He knows YOU, and He longs to speak to Abba – your Daddy – what you want to share but cannot form into words.
My son was a fantastic interpreter for his sister but that pales in comparison to the interceding that the Holy Spirit does for us . . . when we can’t find the words.
Father, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to come along side me when my heartache is huge and my words are few and speaking to you for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
R.A.P. it up . . .
Reflect
Have you experienced a prayer time when you absolutely had no idea what to pray?
Did you ask the Spirit to intercede on your behalf? Why or why not?
Apply
Write Romans 8:26 at the top of your list of prayer requests.
As you lift up each request, ask the Spirit to intercede for you and journal those thoughts that come into your heart.
Power
Romans 8:26 (NIV) “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 with groans that words cannot express.”
Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
John 14:16-17 (NIV) “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth . . .”
(For more of Nancy Hughes' writing, check out her column, Encouragement from the War Room.)
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