The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought…
Holy Spirit,
Pray within me:
Pray on my behalf
For all.
Holy Spirit,
Pray within me:
Intercede for those
Who call.
Holy Spirit,
Pray within me:
I’m so weak:
Lift up my cries.
Holy Spirit,
Pray within me:
God will hear
Your wordless sighs.
…but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-7; NRSV).
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion (Ephesians 6:18; NLT).
I want to pray,
But don’t know what to ask for –
Holy Spirit, help me
In my weakness.
I want to pray –
But how should my prayers be offered?
Plead on my behalf –
I have no skill.
I want to pray –
Please intercede for others,
With sighs and groans
Too deep for my poor words.
The Lord, who knows all hearts, Will hear Your pleading –
Because You pray
According to His will.
The Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words. And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because the Spirit intercedes [before God] on behalf of God’s people in accordance with God’s will (Romans 8:26-7; AMP).
This prayer began to come to me while I was weeping just after Mass last Wednesday. I haven’t been able to go to church for a very long time, but I now have a powered wheelchair, so can start to go again, when I’m well enough. Being there was an overwhelming experience, hence my tears. Astonishingly, it took about 24 hours for this prayer to arrive fully.
I love you, LORD (Psalm 18:1; NLT).
I love you more and more, my God, But serve you less and less,
And yet, I know you understand
My weakness and distress:
For I am still your willing slave,
Despite my sin and shame –
Lord, as you take my liberty,
I bless your Holy Name.
I serve you less and less, my God,
But love you more and more,
And, though you take my health away,
You make my spirit soar:
For I am still your willing slave,
Trying to do my best –
Lord, as you take my life away,
Help me to face each test.
The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. Hehelpsme, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving (Psalm 28:7; NLT).
My apologies that today’s blog is so late. This morning I lost all access to WordPress, but am hoping that my amazing husband has now solved the issue.
Yesterday I woke very early in the morning, and began to pray. Just at the point of letting go of all words, this prayer came to me. I had to draw back from the beckoning silence in order to note it down. Perhaps writing it was a way of continuing to pray.
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.
(Ephesians 6:18; NLT).
The Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words…
Holy Spirit, Pray within me:
You know all
My human weakness.
Holy Spirit,
Pray within me:
Pray with sighs
Too deep for words.
Holy Spirit,
Pray within me:
Pray on my behalf
For others.
Holy Spirit,
Pray within me:
Lift my pleading
Heavenwards.
…And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because the Spirit intercedes [before God] on behalf of God’s people in accordance with God’s will (Romans 8:26-7; AMP).
This prayer rose gently from a beautiful time of bright, wordless prayer. Writing it made me smile, because it arrived backwards, which rarely happens to me.
He knows how weak we are.
(Psalm 103:13; NLT).
1. Lord,
You know
How weak and sick I am:
I cling to you so tight
That we are one;
2. Help me to serve you well
Each day;
Forgive my every failing, lapse,
And wrong.
3. Lord,
Though I’m nothing, I rejoice,
Because to you, forever,
I belong;
4. You are my Maker
And my end:
So, though I’m weak and sick, Lord,
I am strong.
He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
(2 Corinthians 12:9-10; NKJV).
References
Verse 1:Icling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely (Psalm 63:8; NLT).
Verse 2: Serve him and hold fast to him (Deuteronomy 13:4; NIV).
He forgives all my sins (Psalm 103:3; NLT).
Verse 3: Iamnothing (Job 40:4; NLT).
Rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16; NIV).
You and I both belongto God (Job 33:6; NLT).
Verse 4:Youareourmaker; and we are all the work of your hand (Isaiah 64:8; BBE).
“I am the Alpha andthe Omega – thebeginningand the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come – the Almighty One” (Revelation 1:8; NLT).
Thedustreturnstothe ground it came from, and the spirit returnsto God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).
The Prodigal Son, after Sir John Everett Millais. Engraved and printed by Dalziel Brothers in 1864.
Just as I was about to go down for breakfast two days ago, the first lines of today’s prayer struck me. I wrote them down on my iPad, then set off again, only for the next few lines to arrive before I had reached my bedroom door. This happened several times, until the whole piece was roughed out. It was an awesome experience.
Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? (Matthew 9:5; NLT).
Forgiveness
Is the same as healing,
Mercy
Is the same as love,
And weakness
Is the same as strength,
When we have faith
In Christ above.
Cling to your faith in Christ (1 Timothy 1:19; NLT).
A person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16; NLT).
References
Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love (Psalm 51:1; NLT).
When I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10; NLT)).
God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead (Romans 4:24; NLT).
Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory (1 Peter 1:21; NLT).
God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11; NLT).
St. Peter kneels before Jesus. Image by falco, from Pixabay.
Matching today’s prayer with the image above, gave me a lot of simple pleasure!
When Simon Peter realised what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me – I’m too much of a sinner to be around you” (Luke 5:8; NLT).
Lord,
Don’t leave me,
Even though I’m sinful.
Never leave me, Lord,
For I am weak.
Lord,
Don’t leave me,
Even though I’m nothing.
Never leave me: You are all I seek.
All night long I search for you; in the morning I earnestly seek for God (Isaiah 26:9; NLT).
References
God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5; NIV).
Behold, I am with you every day, even unto the end of time (Matthew 28:20; ABPE).
Briton Rivière – The Temptation in the Wilderness. Wikimedia Commons.
Today’s blog is part two in a series of three short articles discussing the importance of facing and sharing the contents of the shadow-self in honest prayer.
Jesus’ shadow-self
Yesterday’s blog (https://wp.me/p45bCr-dXu), was personal, but today’s will focus on how Jesus faced and expressed his shadow, both with God, and with people. We can have no better example than his.
Temptation (Matthew 4:1-11; NLT)
During the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness, his shadow-self is represented as a being who tempts him to go against his conscience by disobeying God.
These accounts show plainly that even Christ suffered from temptation. Like us, he had to wrestle with, resist, and overcome, his seductive fantasies and impulses. He needed to do this in order to face the huge personal sacrifices his ministry would require of him:
We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin (Hebrews 4:15; NIV).
Irritation (Luke 9:37-43; NLT)
At times, Jesus became exasperated, both with his followers, and with the Scribes and Pharisees. For example, when his disciples were unable to heal a boy suffering from epilepsy, Jesus became frustrated and irritated. Instead of concealing how he felt, he spoke to them very directly and honestly:
You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you and put up with you? (Luke 9:41; NLT).
Then, having expressed how he felt, he healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.
Anger (John 2:13-17; NLT)
When Jesus saw the established corruption and exploitation taking place in the Temple at Jerusalem he was filled with anger. He purposefully made a whip, using it to drive the merchants and money-changers out of the temple. Chaos resulted as he overturned their stalls, scattered their takings, and chased away their sacrificial animals, whilst crying out:
Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace! (John 2:13-16; NLT).
Anger, whether righteous or otherwise, is part of everyone’s shadow, however much we might prefer to deny and suppress it.
Grief (John 11:1-45; NLT)
When Jesus heard that his friend was very sick, he delayed visiting him and his sisters. Two days later, knowing that Lazarus had died, he set off to their house. There he experienced the anger and tears which so often characterise human grief. It’s inspiring to see Jesus’ human emotions shared so openly to those around him:
When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled (John 11:33; NLT).
Then Jesus wept (John 11:36; NLT).
Fear (Matthew 26:36-46; NLT)
After the Last Supper, Jesus went with his disciples to an olive grove to pray. Overwhelmed by the profound fear rising from his shadow, he could not conceal his anguish. Realising what he was about to undergo, he begged God to take his suffering away.
I find it oddly reassuring to know that even Jesus experienced and expressed dread, longing for it to be taken away. At Gethsemane, as always, his prayers were absolutely direct, unembellished by flowery language, honest, short and to the point:
He became anguished and distressed (Matthew 26:37; NLT).
He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matthew 26:39; NLT).
He was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood (Luke 22:44; NLT).
Looking ahead
Examining Jesus shadow-side has been a significant challenge for me, but I want to learn from him:
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me (Matthew 11:29; NIV).
Tomorrow I hope to draw some conclusions from this short series on honest prayer.
As soon as I surfaced from sleep yesterday, and before I had even begun to pray, these verses started to arrive. Their background is that a day or two ago I looked at myself in a mirror, and, for the first time ever, smiled spontaneously at myself with a degree of love and acceptance.
Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).
I glance in the mirror,
And see you within,
Ready to save me
From weakness and sin.
I look in the mirror, And greet you within:
My Light, my Redeemer,
My Shepherd and King.
I watch in the mirror,
And meet you within:
My Guide and my Teacher,
My Healer, my kin.
I smile in the mirror,
And love you within.
My heart is content, Lord:
No wonder I sing!
My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart! (Psalm 108:1; NLT).
References
The LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion (Isaiah 30:18; NLT).
The person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17; NLT).
Don’t you realise that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16; NLT).
Don’t you know that your bodies are a part of Christ’s body? (1 Corinthians 6:15; CSB).
You …are complete through your union with Christ (Colossians 2:10; NLT).
A reading from 1 Corinthians 13:9-13; NLT.
Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.
When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.
All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love.
The Rosary Hospital
This is the Fiat rosary I started yesterday. It’s now finished, and ready for packing.
As soon as I surfaced from sleep yesterday, and before I had even begun to pray, these verses started to arrive. Their background is that a day or two ago I looked at myself in a mirror, and, for the first time ever, smiled spontaneously at myself with a degree of love and acceptance.
Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).
I glance in the mirror,
And see you within,
Ready to save me
From weakness and sin.
I look in the mirror, And greet you within:
My Light, my Redeemer,
My Shepherd and King.
I watch in the mirror,
And meet you within:
My Guide and my Teacher,
My Healer, my kin.
I smile in the mirror,
And love you within.
My heart is content, Lord:
No wonder I sing!
My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart! (Psalm 108:1; NLT).
References
The LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion (Isaiah 30:18; NLT).
The person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17; NLT).
Don’t you realise that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16; NLT).
Don’t you know that your bodies are a part of Christ’s body? (1 Corinthians 6:15; CSB).
You …are complete through your union with Christ (Colossians 2:10; NLT).
A reading from 1 Corinthians 13:9-13; NLT.
Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.
When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.
All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love.
The Rosary Hospital
This is the Fiat rosary I started yesterday. It’s now finished, and ready for packing.