What’s Going on at the Church
Traveling Mercies for May 5 – 11
Listening for God’s Word:
“Now, hope that is seen is not hope – for who hopes for what it seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness… interceding for us with sighs too deep for words… according to the will of God.” Rom. 8:24b-27
At first this verse seems to offer the advice that we kind of sit back and wait for things to happen. But we have to remember that the biblical words for patience and waiting, are both actions words. Patience in the Bible is about stamina – investing effort to make what we hope for come true. And the word, for waiting is also about service, like a waiter who “waits” on the customers. Real hope always takes on what isn’t right and good, so that we are part of changing those things into something better.
The good news is that we aren’t left to sustain this kind of hope on our own.
It’s the Spirit, Paul said, who helps to keep hope alive in the tough times. The Spirit gives us strength beyond our own, when our energy is depleted. It’s the Spirit who makes our prayers work for us – even when we don’t have the words to pray. The Spirit of Christ gives us a taste, of the goodness, and peace, we long for in our hearts – to give us incentive – to motivate and strengthen us.
But there’s more. Paul said, that when “we don’t know how, or what to pray, the Spirit intercedes according to the will of God.” Paul is saying that when it comes to the question of what we are called to do – to be part of furthering the mission of God in the world, we don’t start from scratch. We don’t have to come up with all the hows and whats of what God wants to do. Instead, our job is more about discovering, what God is already doing, so that we can join in.
The good news of this passage is that the Holy Spirit’s guidance and direction will keep us aligned with God’s trajectory. If we pay attention, the Spirit will keep us connected to God in our hearts. The Spirit will work to make the connections between our gifts, and the needs our gifts can help with. This is the good news that’s behind the truth of the very next verse in this letter. Paul said, “We know that in all things God works for good with and for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” Rom 8:28
Prayer:
God, we need to know you are with us when times are tough. Help us to be brave when we are scared of all that’s happening. God help us to believe that new beginnings will come. Help us to believe that hope can overcome despair and faith can overcome fear. Most of all, O God, help us to pray in your Spirit – knowing that those prayers will reach your ears and that they will bear fruit according to your desires, for peace and goodness and justice to prevail. Amen.
Peace, Pastor Ed