12-5-2023

Good Morning All,

       Romans 8:26; “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

     Yesterday, once again, I realized that I am not as smart as my smartphone.  So, I swallowed my pride and went, once again to my “phone guru” at the phone center and had her help me figure out what I did wrong.  It probably wouldn’t feel quite so humiliating if she didn’t solve my problem in less than a couple of minutes after I tried for a couple of days.  Yet she is always friendly.  She never judges or snickers; she is always happy to see me.  She can understand what I am trying to say even when my words aren’t really concise and even when I just go, “I don’t know what I did but…” she seems to know what I need, and she solves my problems.

    We all need “gurus” like this in our lives.  We need those people who can understand what we are trying to say even when it doesn’t actually sound right or, maybe especially, when we can’t even really express what we mean.  We have that in our faith life with the Holy Spirit.  When we face those times in our lives when we know things aren’t right; we may not know exactly what is wrong, but we know that we are struggling.  We may struggle being content; we may not sleep as well as we would like.  We may be worrying about way too much “stuff.”  Sometimes, our prayer is simply, “Help!” 

    This is when the Holy Spirit helps.  This is when the Sprit takes our prayers, confused, and mixed up as they are, and raises them before the throne of God in all the love and mercy that he bestows upon us.  Sometimes, as we look at our life; we wonder how it ever got this messed up.  We wonder how we ended up in this situation.  We wonder how we ever get back out.  Getting out may be s long journey, but God has promised to go with us every step of the way.  It may look dark, and we may see no path, but God will guide us.  Even when we do not know the way or how to ask for help along the way, God is there for us.

    We face troubling and confusing times; we may see no answer; yet this is when God calls to us the most and tells us to pray and trust.  We are to pray to him, and he will hear our prayer, even confused and muddled ones, because God hears our heart and our spirit far beyond our words.  God hears and sees our needs and he speaks to those needs for us.  He delivers us with his Holy Spirit.  He gives us peace; he gives us hope.

    So, no matter what events are in your life, pray about them; even if the prayer is, “Help!” God will help.  It may take a form that we didn’t see coming but God has promised to hear and to answer our prayers.  Trust in his love and mercy.  Trust in his promise.

Father, often I don’t know what to say, yet you hear my cry.  Too often my words are weak, yet your answers are strong and comforting.  Help me to trust in your mercy and lead me to call to you that I may have comfort and peace.  Be with those who are struggling in the darkness of life.  Lead them to your wonderful light.  In the precious name of Jesus, our risen Savior, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret