Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Prayer Mirrors the Gospel

"Helplessness is how the Christian life works."  Paul Miller, A Praying Life


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. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  [Romans 8]

Please notice a couple of phrases in verse 26: 'in our weakness' and 'do not know what to pray', that indicate our helplessness.  At those times when we are helpless the 'Spirit helps us' and the 'Spirit himself intercedes for us'.  I think most of my life religion has had the objective of trying to help me become "less helpless" when in reality the more I acknowledge my helplessness (weakness and total dependence on God) the stronger I am [2 Cor 12]

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.






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