Passage of the Day: Romans 8: 26 … In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
My Journal for Today: When we are experiencing personal trials, especially when we feel like we are weak or vulnerable (the Greek for “weakness” in today’s text is “astheneia,” which can refer to physical, emotional, and/or spiritual infirmity or disability), it is comforting when we learn that an empathetic and capable friend is doing all he or she can to help, including praying for us diligently or standing with us in a time of trial. And if one has legal challenges, it becomes essential to have a competent attorney to stand with us, interceding on our behalf to authorities or when we don’t feel able to handle our own affairs. Ever felt like that or been in that kind of dilemma?
Well, in the spiritual realm, God, the Son, has provided for both of these contingencies, having imparted to each believer the Holy Spirit (see John 14: 16) to be our Comforter, our Intercessor, and even our Paraklete (or advocate) to secure our place in Heaven or before God’s Throne of Grace (see Hebrews 7: 25). And certainly in the hostile world in which we live, as well as with our own sin nature, we would be ever at a loss without the infinitely competent and powerful intercession of our precious and ever capable Holy Spirit.
And as it says in today’s verse, God, the Spirit, is constantly and continually interceding for us, even in our state of agony with “groanings” which are heard and received by God, even when we don’t know for what we should pray or ask. This is God’s divine language on our behalf, which is always received and perfectly interpreted by our God, Who forever knows our needs and cares for us (see 1st Peter 5: 7).
I’ve been there many times; and I’ll bet you have to … in that place of groaning incompetence where I don’t even know what to utter for a prayer; and yet, God comes through for me. I’m afraid that all too often I take my Paraklete, God, the Holy Spirit, for granted; because, without Him, I would be lost and separated from God. However, with Him, … well, in this moment of insight and remembrance, it’s incredibly reassuring to know that He’s right here, even as I type these words, helping me, lifting me, enlightening me and even praying for me before my Father and my Savior in heaven.
My Prayer Today: O, dear, blessed Spirit, …thank You for Your prayers. Amen
Showing posts with label Intercessor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Intercessor. Show all posts
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Sunday, September 12, 2010
2010 – September 12 – Our Advocate and Friend
Study from God’s Word… Job, Chapters 15 – 17 … Passage for Reflection: Job 16: 19 – 21 … NIV 19 Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. 20 My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; 21 on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend.
My Journal for Today: Job was in a pickle, for sure. He needed help; … an advocate, … a witness, … a friend. But all he found were accusers who railed against his plight, giving him ill-begotten advice and half truths. And so in his incredible pain and confusion, our ailing believer turned to the only source of truth and friendship he could, … his God. And though Job was not privy to the truth about his Savior, as are we Christians today, his faith cried out to a Messiah whom he sought to be his intercessor, his witness of truth to the Father in heaven, and his glorious Friend, the Son of God.
And my devotional shepherd, Dr. Smith, poses an interesting question. Given the truth (i.e., the fact) that we born-again Christians now have the One, True Advocate in Heaven, our Intercessor, sitting at the right hand of God, and the Friend who was willing to shed His blood so that our sin debt would be paid forever, we have to ask ourselves, ”Are we, as the friend of The Christ, Who pleads our innocence before the Father, doing all we can to make our Advocate’s job easier?” In other words, do we, by the way we worship our Savior in the way we live 24/7, make it difficult (or much easier) for Him to be our Advocate or our Friend.
When I became a Christian, I must say that it was probably a pretty tough job for my Savior to plead my case to the Father and to stand by me as my Friend. But as I’ve matured in my faith, I would hope that He doesn’t have to work quite as hard and He can be more of a friend than having to be my witness and ultimately my advocate. Oh, I know that I can still be a tough case at times, especially when I get selfish or into self pity. But my Intercessor, God’s Spirit, is always there, praying for me, standing with me, and interceding on my behalf; and my Lord and Savior is ALWAYS my Friend.
That my dear one, is what Job had going for him; and it’s what you and I have going for us in the courts of Heaven.
My Prayer for Today: Praise Your Holy Name, Lord, as my Advocate and Friend in Heaven. Amen
My Journal for Today: Job was in a pickle, for sure. He needed help; … an advocate, … a witness, … a friend. But all he found were accusers who railed against his plight, giving him ill-begotten advice and half truths. And so in his incredible pain and confusion, our ailing believer turned to the only source of truth and friendship he could, … his God. And though Job was not privy to the truth about his Savior, as are we Christians today, his faith cried out to a Messiah whom he sought to be his intercessor, his witness of truth to the Father in heaven, and his glorious Friend, the Son of God.
And my devotional shepherd, Dr. Smith, poses an interesting question. Given the truth (i.e., the fact) that we born-again Christians now have the One, True Advocate in Heaven, our Intercessor, sitting at the right hand of God, and the Friend who was willing to shed His blood so that our sin debt would be paid forever, we have to ask ourselves, ”Are we, as the friend of The Christ, Who pleads our innocence before the Father, doing all we can to make our Advocate’s job easier?” In other words, do we, by the way we worship our Savior in the way we live 24/7, make it difficult (or much easier) for Him to be our Advocate or our Friend.
When I became a Christian, I must say that it was probably a pretty tough job for my Savior to plead my case to the Father and to stand by me as my Friend. But as I’ve matured in my faith, I would hope that He doesn’t have to work quite as hard and He can be more of a friend than having to be my witness and ultimately my advocate. Oh, I know that I can still be a tough case at times, especially when I get selfish or into self pity. But my Intercessor, God’s Spirit, is always there, praying for me, standing with me, and interceding on my behalf; and my Lord and Savior is ALWAYS my Friend.
That my dear one, is what Job had going for him; and it’s what you and I have going for us in the courts of Heaven.
My Prayer for Today: Praise Your Holy Name, Lord, as my Advocate and Friend in Heaven. Amen
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