Praying When We Don't Have Words To Pray

 PRAYING WHEN WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO PRAY

As we watch the news unfold in United States this past week with President Trump and many of his staff testing positive for COVID-19 I've been wondering how to respond. There are so many noises on every side of the political debate and there's such a need to rise above politics in this and so many other areas.

I found myself drawn to these comforting words in Romans 8:

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.  Romans 8:26-30

I thought about only reading one or two of these verses but they go together, I think in a way that give the foundation in our hearts that when we belong to God, He helps us - shows us how to pray and even prays for us when we can't find the words. 

Heavenly Father, in times such as these we certainly need the Holy Spirit's help in order to join You in seeking what is right and best for us, our own country, and all the nations of the world. There seem to be so many destabilizing voices and forces around us and we pray to stand steady and strong with You in the middle of it all and give effective witness to Your good will and plan even in these times.

Come and meet us in the place where we long for what is right and good and help us seek Your will in how we think and respond to people and events today.  Give us courage and persistence to pray and keep on praying especially when things do not seem to change right away.  Help us to continue to seek You even if things crumble around us.  You are in control and Your purposes will prevail. 

You are willing and able in these turbulent times to work in such a way that good will come out of even the worst of what humans do.  How You manage to accomplish that is beyond us but You've shown that over and over again.  Nations rise and nations fall but Your Word stands strong and true and Your plan goes steadily forward.  In Your mercy, work for good during this season of the pandemic and decision making times of elections where so many unreliable things get said to so many people. 

Grant us wisdom to live as Your sons and daughters, as those who care and those who get involved in the hurting angry world that is ours today in a way that demonstrates Your heart and Your power.  Settle our hearts in the reality that we are Your chosen sons and daughters whom You dearly love and that as we walk with You today, You will transform our own hearts and minds more and more so we become like the Lord Jesus.

We so want to be steady and obedient and willing like Jesus, even through tough times, but we know we falter and our hearts tremble at times.  We stand only on Your promise today that because we are chosen and called by You, given right standing through the death of Jesus on our behalf, that we will, in fact, grow in Your grace to live in ways that give you glory.

And so, one more time, on one more day in this season of struggle and sickness, we put our will and our lives into Your hands, with trust and thanksgiving that You will work out Your good plan for us today.  Amen