He will help you when you are weak

Good morning, everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Sound doctrine, strong faith”

Our Bible verse for today: “In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings.” Romans 8:26

Our thought for today: “He will help you when you are weak”

I love the scene in Mark 9:14-29. Jesus was up in Galilee. He had just come down from Mount Hebron where the transfiguration had taken place. When he came back to His disciples, we read that a great crowd had gathered around them disputing with them. A man had brought his demon-possessed son to them for healing, but they had been unable to cast the demon out. The father of the boy then appealed to Jesus to help his son. Jesus responded and told the boy’s father that if he believes it will be done for him because all things are possible for those who believe. To that the father cried out, “Lord, I do believe; help me in my unbelief!”

In other words, the man was saying that he did have faith, but his faith was weak and he feared it was insufficient. So, he begged Jesus to help him in his weakness and increase his faith to sufficient levels so his son would be healed. In response to that cry, Jesus did indeed cast the demon out and heal the boy.

That’s the lesson Paul was teaching in this part of Romans chapter eight. In this specific case, he used prayer as an example of our weaknesses. We often have no idea what to pray for or how to pray effectively. So, the Holy Spirit intervenes on our behalf. He takes our weak, half-hearted prayers, and makes something meaningful out of them for us before the throne of God.

Personally, I’m grateful Paul used the illustration of prayer to make his point because I often feel that my prayers are weak, half-hearted, and unfocused. On many occasions I find myself appealing to this verse, telling the Holy Spirit that I don’t know how to pray or even what to pray. So, I ask Him to listen to my heart and take the groans and the tears that I can’t even put into words and present them before the throne of God for me. I need that help. Sometimes all we can manage is a groan, but a simple groan can be a powerful prayer.

Some translations of the Bible render the word weaknesses in this verse as plural rather than singular. That indicates that Paul wasn’t just referring to our weakness in prayer. Instead, he was referring to the Spirit helping us with all our weaknesses. That understanding fits better with the context of the overall passage that these verses are a part of. In the passage Paul was referring to the groaning and struggling we endure in life in general. It’s in that context that Paul now says that the Holy Spirit helps us with our weakness prayers too. But he’s referring to the full range of trials and tribulations we experience in this life.

The Holy Spirit stands ready to help us with our weak prayers, our weak faith, or any other weakness we have. All you have to do is ask. He will help you when you are weak.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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