I consider myself an avid cyclist. I typically ride four to five times per week, and many times I take advantage of this quiet time to pray and have conversation with God. On one particular morning ride, I started talking with/praying to God and suddenly, I found myself at a loss for words. I was overcome by a flood of emotions and thoughts, and I had no idea what to say next. My mind started racing and spitting out what seemed like complete gibberish. I realized I could no longer discern a single coherent thought.
Maybe you've had a similar experience in your prayer life. We experience so many different events in our lives. Sometimes, when they occur together, we can easily feel overwhelmed and not even know how to pray or what to pray for: the joy at the birth of a child, sadness over the loss of a loved one, anger or fear as the doctor diagnoses cancer, guilt over sins of the past. Sometimes, even if we do know what to pray for, we don't know how to say it. We find ourselves at a loss for words.
St. Paul reminds us that in our weakest moments-when we don't even know what to say or what to pray for-we have someone who knows our needs and intercedes for us. That someone is the Holy Spirit-sent by Christ-who "intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." He takes our babblings, ramblings, and even our silence and turns them into coherent thoughts before our heavenly Father. And, because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross in our place and His victory over death, our Father hears and understands our every need, even when we're at a loss for words.
THE PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your only Son, Jesus Christ, to take our place on the cross. You know our every need, and we ask You to hear us on His behalf, especially when we don't know how to pray. In Jesus' precious Name. Amen.
Written by Pastor Russ Troester
St. Michael's Lutheran Church - Bloomington, Minnesota
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