Milk Truck Monday

Usually when I think of Romans 8, the first verses that come to mind are verses 28-30. 

 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."

But, it's the section that precedes this that has been the biggest encouragement to me over the past few weeks when it seems that God's sanctifying work in my life has been constantly opening my eyes to my inadequacies and His greatness.  It's at these times when I run to Him in prayer that I find myself at a loss for words.  I don't know what His will is or how to pray for it, but there is Someone who is already interceding on my behalf!   Romans 26-27 says,

 "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.  And he who searches hearts know what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."

 Douglas Moo, professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois and author of the NICNT (The New International Commentary on the New Testament) "The Epistle to the Romans" has this to say about this verses:

Our "inability to know what to pray for cannot be overcome in this life, for it is part of 'our weakness,' the inescapable condition imposed on us by our place in salvation history... Paul points us to the Spirit of God, who overcomes this weakness by his own intercession... Our failure to know God's will and consequent inability to petition God specifically and assuredly is met by God's Spirit, who himself expresses to God those intercessory petitions that perfectly match the will of God.  When we do not know what to pray for -- yes even when we pray for things that are not best for us -- we need not despair, for we can depend on the Spirit's ministry of perfect intercession 'on our behalf.'  Here is one potent source for that 'patient fortitude' with which we are to await our glory (v. 25); that our failure to understand God's purposes and plans, to see 'the beginning from the end,' does not mean that effective, powerful prayer for our specific needs is absent."

How comforting it is to meditate on the fact that "there is one in heaven, the Son of God, who 'intercedes on our behalf,' defending us from all charges that might be brought against us, guaranteeing salvation in the day of judgment (Romans 8:34).  But there is also, Paul asserts in these verses, an intercessor 'in the heart,' the Spirit of God, who effectively prays to the Father on our behalf throughout the difficulties and uncertainties of our lives here on earth (Douglas Moo).