Our Groaning Prayers
Sunday’s Verse:
From Romans 8:26 ESV
“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.”
Who taught you to pray?
All week, I’ve been thinking about this question. My mother taught me to pray. Even though we went to church every Sunday, it was my mom who sat me down before bedtime and taught me how to pray. She didn’t teach me those common prayers like “Now I lay me down to sleep.” Instead, she told me to talk to God. Granted, during my young years, my prayers were very short and sounded really off.
As I thought about my mother teaching me to pray, I found myself thinking yesterday, the 18th, about my mom. It was her 36th birthday in heaven. I prayed, giving thanks for her. My prayers about my parents always include the hope that I was a good enough child, then with them and now without them..
The words of Saint Paul today remind us that all of our prayers, whether we think that they were good enough or not, are always refined by the Holy Spirit. Even in our darkest times and saddest prayers, the Spirit is there to help make sense of our groanings. Our confidence is that the Spirit brings our words to Jesus, who intercedes for us and presents them to His Father.
No matter who taught you how to pray, give thanks to God for them this Sunday.
✝️ A Prayer for Today:
Almighty God, thank You for hearing our prayers and giving us the most appropriate answers. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
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