A few months ago, I wrote about Christ’s 24/7 intercession for us, and how it gives us a reason to live restfully. This post enlarges the picture, and it has to do with our resident intercessor.
The Holy Spirit loves to draw attention to what Jesus is doing. But in his lead-up to the part about Christ interceding for us at God’s right hand, he tells us this about himself: he is our resident intercessor, helping us in a journey that we, by ourselves, don’t have enough strength for (Rom 8:26-27).
The Spirit and prayer life
We know God works in response to our praying, but we don’t see the full depth and detail of his plans. So, sometimes we don’t know exactly what we should pray for (Rom 8:26).
Thankfully, weakness isn’t the final word on our prayer life. Our resident intercessor involves himself in our praying. In this mystery, the thoughts of the Spirit (regarding whatever we are praying about) blend with our heart’s imperfect prayers, giving them a reach and an accuracy beyond our weakness (Rom 8:27). And his intercession in us is always perfectly in line with God’s will.
The Spirit’s intercession doesn’t replace our praying, but extends it. Sometimes, beyond our ability to put into words. But, even then, we have a deep awareness that our ineffable yearning, burden, tears, groans or sighs are identifying with God’s desires.
But his intercession addresses more than our weakness in prayer.
The Spirit and our future
The entire second half of Romans chapter eight is about our future in Christ.
We will finally be glorified (Rom 8:30). But our future isn’t just about the end-point; it’s about our next moment, about the days and years leading towards the climax.
It’s a journey that shows up our weakness. But, because of the Holy Spirit’s intercession in us, our limitations don’t deprive us of the future God desires for us, and that our hearts reach for.
The One who searches our hearts sees our weakness, but in the same space, he also sees the perfect appeals of his Spirit on our behalf (8:27).
Christ and the Holy Spirit are not two independent intercessors. They are one. Their intercessions for us (and for our future) blend beautifully – the enthroned Christ appealing for us at the Father’s right hand, and the Spirit interceding from within us.
Creation groans for its future liberation. And because the Spirit has given us a taste of our final, full inheritance, we too groan inwardly (or sigh) with longing for the great climax (Rom 8:22-25).
In the same way, our resident intercessor himself groans or sighs within us. He knows better than we do, the amazing future that is ours through Christ. His wordless intercession yearns for us to not miss any of it, and releases grace for us to move beyond our weakness.
What are the wordless groans or sighs? Is it the Spirit praying imperceptibly in us? Do they equate to speaking in tongues? Is the groan or sigh an inarticulate sound from the pray-er because of a Spirit-given burden or longing too deep for words? Does it refer to the Spirit’s inner prompts to pray in a certain way?
In holding to one, or all of the above, we mustn’t miss the major celebration, viz. the Holy Spirit is interceding within us, for us. He is helping us to pray and to live beyond our weakness, and in line with God’s desires for us. Amazing grace…!
