Jonah's Prayer

Jonah 2:1-10

Many of you are familiar with reading about Jonah in the Bible, how he fled from God, was swallowed by a great fish, eventually spat out, and then did what God had wanted him to initially do.  It is a short book in the Bible, but contains many lessons which we should all learn.  One part of the narrative, though, is often overlooked or just quickly skimmed over, and that is chapter 2, where Jonah prays to the Lord from the belly of the fish.  If that prayer had not happened this story might likely have had a very different, more tragic ending.  Let’s take a look.

As we know from the account of Jonah in the Bible, the prophet had been called by God to go bring His message to the people of Nineveh.  Nineveh was the capital city of the ancient Assyrian Empire, who were enemies of both the Northern Kingdom of Israel and Southern Kingdom of Judah.  Jonah hated those people and did not feel that they deserved to hear God’s message nor receive His mercy.  Because he would not obey, Jonah thought he could go far from home and hide from God.  However, as we should all know, no one can hide from God.  While on board a ship a violent storm came, and Jonah was thrown overboard.  At this time, God prepared a giant fish to swallow Jonah so that he would not drown (Jonah 1:17).

Jonah remained in this fish for three days and nights, and while inside this creature, he prayed to God.  This prayer is what we will be looking at today.  This is a chapter in the Bible that vividly shows a picture of repentance, mercy, and God’s sovereign deliverance. It shows Jonah’s cry of distress, his acknowledgment of God’s justice, his repentance, and God’s gracious deliverance.

We read that Jonah prayed “out of the belly of Sheol” (vs. 1-2).  Sheol indicates a place of death.  Jonah must have felt, having been swallowed whole by some giant fish or type of sea creature, that though he was still alive and conscious, he was as good as dead.  He acknowledged that it was his own rebellion that led him there, but still he knows that God will hear him as he prays.  God will discipline His children, but His ear is still open when they repent (Hebrews 12:6; Psalm 66:18-19).  God has a purpose when He chastens His believing children.  Even when they fall, He remains merciful to the repentant.

Even though it was the sailors who threw Jonah overboard at his own request, the prophet knew that God was the ultimate cause, that the storm had been caused by Him specifically because of his rebellion (vs. 3-4).  God has supreme and ultimate power over circumstances, even those caused by human sin.  Even though Jonah felt cast out from God’s sight, he still expressed hope.  His faith was being revived, and he believed that restoration was possible.

God arranges and plans events to bring His children to repentance.  Rather than just having Jonah wash up on shore somewhere, He used something as horrific as being swallowed alive by a giant fish to bring him to repentance.  Sometimes God has to use something big and shocking in our life to get our attention and bring us to our knees in repentance.  But, like with Jonah, He always has mercy if we turn to Him.  Jonah recalled the experience of his near drowning (vs. 5-7).  God sometimes needs to bring sinners to the end of themselves so that they will turn to Him.  It was here, where all of his pride was stripped away, that Jonah cried out to God.

As Jonah continued in his prayer, he recognized that running from God was trusting in his own way, instead of God’s command, and that this was a form of idolatry, in his case by putting himself and his wishes before those of God (vs. 8).  Idolatry is not only worshiping statues, it is anything placed above obedience to God.  Jonah promised to give God obedience again (vs. 9), and he believed that God would save and deliver him.  At this time God commanded the fish, and it spat Jonah out upon land (vs. 10).  Salvation, whether physical or spiritual, is entirely God’s work.  Jonah contributed nothing to his rescue except by being repentant of his sins.  God’s mercy followed his genuine humility, and He restored the once disobedient prophet.

As we see, Jonah’s suffering was a direct result of his disobedience to God.  The Lord will discipline His children to restore them.  Jonah’s prayer is a model of repentance.  He acknowledged his sin and God’s sovereignty, and then renewed his commitment to Him.  His rebellion and then repentance did not cancel God’s mission for him.  God restored Jonah so that he could fulfill the calling he tried to escape.

The Lord brought a corrective storm into Jonah’s life.  Because He loves us, He will similarly disrupt our plans when we insist on going our own way instead of submitting to His will.  God’s storms are designed to get our attention.  They will humble us so that we realize we are not in charge.  God’s storms should lead us to repentance, and then for us to yield to His will.  We can remember, though, that even when the consequences are severe, such as being swallowed whole by a giant fish, God’s mercy is always available.

Our Lack But God's Abundance

Matthew 14:13-21

One might be surprised, but there are only a few events in the life of Jesus that are mentioned in all four Gospels.  Other than the events that surround His crucifixion and the Resurrection, there are actually only two other things mentioned in all four Gospels.  Those would be His baptism (mentioned explicitly in the three synoptic Gospels and alluded to in John’s Gospel), and the feeding of the 5,000, which is told in all four.  Even the Nativity of Jesus is only told in two Gospels.  Today we will take a look at this one miracle of Jesus that is told in each Gospel.

As our Scripture passage opens, Jesus had just received the news that John the Baptist had been executed by King Herod (Matthew 14:1-12).  When Jesus heard the news, He wished to go off by Himself to grieve and pray (vs. 13).  Not only was John the Baptist a relative of His, but he was also the forerunner of the Messiah (Malachi 3:1; Matthew 11:10).  However, no matter where He went, the crowds followed Jesus.  Rather than turn them away in order to have some time in prayer and solitude, Jesus had compassion on them (vs. 14).  Even in grief, Jesus’ compassion overrides His desire for solitude.  This is divine compassion, flowing from the heart of God.

With the day coming to an end, and evening approaching, the disciples told Jesus that the people should be sent home so they could get something to eat.  Jesus, though, told them that they should give the crowds something to eat (vs. 15-17).  The disciples’ jaws must have dropped at that statement, as there were at least 5,000 men, not counting the women and children, which could easily have brought the total to over 15,000.  The disciples saw only the problem: the late hour, the huge crowd, and very limited resources - only a few small loaves of bread, and a couple of fish.  Jesus was not asking them to perform a miracle.  He was inviting them to trust Him.

Five loaves and two fish.  This detail is important as it underscores the impossibility of the situation.  It also magnifies Jesus’ power, and shows that God often begins with what seems insignificant.  These loaves of bread were typically small and round, and would feed about two people, so five loaves would have been enough for a small meal for the disciples, but not this crowd.  This was enough, though, for Jesus to feed the crowd, and He asked that they bring Him what they had (vs. 18).  Jesus asks that we surrender whatever we have to Him, and He will then work through us.

Jesus had the crowds sit down, as He brought them to order before He gave the blessing.  He then blessed the food, acknowledging God as the source.  The disciples then distributed the food, and there was more than enough for the crowd (vs. 19-20).   This is a picture of Gospel ministry - Jesus is the source, and we are the channels.

So often when we give, we give just a little, just a “bite or two”, just enough for the person we are helping to get by.  When Jesus gives, He gives abundantly.  These people weren’t just fed a few bites.  They were fed until they were full (vs. 20).  This is divine abundance, not human adequacy.  There was enough left over from what Jesus provided to fill up twelve baskets.  The Savior provided not only for the crowds, but also for His disciples, as they undoubtedly took the twelve baskets to provide for a meal or two for each of them.

The miracle that Jesus performed here also anticipated what He would preach to the crowds the next day when He declared “I am the Bread of Life.” (John 6:35).  Jesus not only provides for us physically, but He also provides spiritual sustenance.  This physical feeding points to the spiritual truth, that only Jesus can satisfy the soul.  He alone fills the deepest hunger of the human heart.

Only God can create food out of nothing.  This miracle is a direct demonstration of Jesus’ divine power.  Though the disciples’ resources were extremely small, nowhere near enough to provide for the crowds, the Lord’s power was infinitely great.  God wants us to bring our “little” to Him.  Our time, abilities, and resources may seem small to us, but Jesus multiplies what is surrendered to Him.

When faced with an impossible situation, just like the disciples were that day, we must learn to rely on Jesus.  It is not about what we can do, but about what Jesus can do through us.  When we turn all that we have over to God we can expect Him to provide abundantly.  Not just barely enough, but abundantly, overflowingly, and graciously.

Love That Will Not Let Go

Romans 8:35-39

Have you ever felt that something might happen and you would lose your salvation or that God would just stop loving you?  Perhaps something you would say or do, something that someone might do to you, or some terrible event happens in your life and you would slip through God’s fingers, and be lost, or that God would stop loving you?  If some thought like that ever crossed your mind, then this Scripture is for you.  As we wrap up several weeks of studying Romans 8, let’s look at what the Lord has to say in these final verses.

The life of a Christian has never been an easy one, particularly in the days of the early Church.  It’s not easy for anyone, but particularly for a Christian, and especially if the believer is someplace where being a follower of Jesus is not generally accepted.  Persecution for the faith was common in the Apostle Paul’s day, and it is a very real experience for many Christians today.  As our Scripture begins, Paul listed seven types of suffering: tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword (vs. 35).  These were threats in his time, as well as in our own today.  However, none of these can break the bond of love that Jesus has for us.  We don’t have to fear that because we are going through some terrible things, that it is a sign that God doesn’t love us, or we have lost our salvation.  On the contrary, our salvation is secure because God’s love is not sentimental.  It is covenantal and purchased by the Blood of Jesus.  Nothing that happens to us can ever undo it.

Suffering has always been a part of the experience for God’s people, going all the way back in time.  Paul quoted Psalm 44:22 to show this (vs. 36).  Suffering does not indicate that God has abandoned us.  Sometimes it confirms how faithful to Him we are.  Persecution will happen for those who stand true to the Bible, and even if that ends in martyrdom, that will not separate us from Jesus.

Paul continues on by saying that through all of these we are “more than conquerors” (vs. 37).  The Greek word used here is “hypernikao”, which means to gain a decisive or surpassing victory.  Picture being so victorious that you are like a super-hero.  Believers do not merely survive trials, we triumph through Christ’s sustaining power.  This victory, though, is not achieved by our human strength, but “through Him who loved us”.  It is the love that Jesus has for us that helps us persevere through to victory.

The apostle then lists in verses 38-39  ten forces that cannot separate us from God’s love.  Paul covers the entire universe, and declares that no created thing can undo what God has done.  Nothing that we ourselves, nor what anyone else does to us, can separate us from God’s love, nor destroy or take away our salvation.

When you are walking with a little child, holding their hand, whose handclasp is the one that really matters?  It is yours, not the child’s, as your grip is stronger and more powerful.  We don’t cling to Jesus by our own strength.  He holds us.  Our assurance rests in His grip, not in our performance.  We need to remember that death cannot harm us.  Life cannot overwhelm us.  Spiritual forces cannot defeat us.  And the future cannot intimidate us.  God’s love for us is not fragile - it is invincible!

No matter what happens, nothing will ever keep the love of God away from us.  In whatever battles or conflicts we are facing, we need to lift up our downcast eyes and see our Savior.  He has successfully completed His divine mission of grace, which was designed to forgive our sins and save our souls.  We can rest secure in knowing we are more than conquerors through Him, and nothing can separate us from His love.  The Christian’s salvation is eternally secure because God’s love to us through Jesus is unstoppable, unchangeable, and unconquerable.  No suffering, no spiritual force, no future event, no cosmic power, and no created thing can undo what God has sovereignly accomplished.  Jesus suffered upon the cross so that all who accept Him through faith will never have to experience separation from the love of God.

Telling the Next Generation

Psalm 78:1-33

Some families like to pass down to the younger generations stories about the family’s past.  They will tell the stories about relatives from generations earlier who did famous (or maybe infamous) deeds, or how the family persevered during difficult times.  For many others, though, the past generations are quickly forgotten, little more than a name on a family tree.  Though it might be nice to remember the deeds of some illustrious ancestors, what is more important is whether the faith of believing ancestors is passed down to future generations, along with the accounts of how God moved and worked in their lives.  Our psalm for today, written by Asaph, a Levite who wrote several psalms, tells of the importance of passing on one's family past, particularly what God has done for them.  If we forget what God has done in the past, then it is all too easy for our faith to falter when faced with trials in the future.  Let’s take a look at the first half of this rather long psalm.

It’s nice to be able to pass along stories of family victories, however, it is equally important to tell of past mistakes and failures, too.  This way, hopefully the younger generation can learn from the mistakes, and not make them in their own lives.  God’s people must remember His works, obey His Word, and pass truth to the next generation, or they will repeat the same tragic cycle of unbelief.  Asaph sought to instruct God’s people that forgetting His works leads to unbelief, rebellion, and judgment, while remembering His mighty acts will strengthen faith and obedience.  Israel’s failures were recorded in Scripture so that believers today will not repeat the same mistakes (I Corinthians 10:11; Romans 15:4).

Asaph begins his psalm with a call to listen to what God wants to teach them (vs. 1-8).  This is not optional.  God demands our attention.  He tells us that it is vitally important that we teach our children about Him and His Word (vs. 5-6).  This instruction was specifically given in Deuteronomy 6:1-9.  The next generation must know God’s works, so that they will set their hope in Him, and not be like previous generations who were stubborn and rebellious.  Israel’s failure began when they forgot what God had done for them.  Forgetting the truth is never neutral.  It leads directly to rebellion.  We see this today.  Over the past several generations many believers have failed to instruct their children and grandchildren in the Lord, and thus churches sit empty.  This has led to society becoming more and more evil and morality becoming a cesspool.

The psalmist continues by showing a pattern: God would work, but Israel would forget, leading them to rebel (vs. 9-20).  One example was the tribe of Ephraim.  When they encountered their enemies they were armed, but because their faith was weak, they fled (vs. 9).  They had the resources, but because they had forgotten God, or were never properly instructed by the previous generation, they lacked faith.  Israel had a persistent problem with forgetfulness (vs. 10-11).  They did not keep God’s covenant.  They also refused to follow His law, and thus forgot His works and wonders.  This is the spiritual root of all of their failures, and is too often the cause today.

Asaph listed many of the miracles that the people had witnessed in prior generations, such as God dividing the sea so the people could escape slavery to Pharaoh, His leading them by cloud and fire, and splitting the rock so they could have water in the desert (vs. 12-16).  However, what was Israel’s response?  They sinned more and more, they tempted God, spoke against Him, and questioned His ability (vs. 17-20).  This was not innocent questioning.  This was rebellious unbelief.  God had shown them visible, undeniable acts, yet Israel still doubted.  This unbelief was not intellectual, it was moral.

The remainder of this section of Psalm 78 shows God’s provision, but also Israel’s judgment (vs. 21-33).  God was angry because they did not believe in Him, nor trust in His salvation.  Unbelief is not just a weakness.  It is a sin.  However, despite their rebellion, God opened the windows of heaven and gave them manna and meat in abundance until they were filled.  God’s grace continued even while they complained.  He also, though, did not withhold His judgment because they sinned, their hearts were not right, and rebelled in their unbelief.  There will be judgment because God is a holy God.  His patience is great, but it is not endless.

This lesson doesn’t just apply to Israel in the days of the Old Testament.  It can apply to us today, as well.  It is vitally important that we teach our children and grandchildren about the Lord Jesus.  The truth about the Lord does not pass to the next generation automatically.  The Bible must be taught intentionally.  Forgetting about God’s works will lead to spiritual collapse.  Christians must tell the younger generations about God’s faithfulness regularly.  Just because we have received some blessings from the Lord does not excuse rebellion.  God provided for them abundantly, but judgment still came.  God is both merciful and holy.  Grace does not cancel accountability.  Let’s be sure that we never suffer from spiritual amnesia.

Grace Greater Than Our Sin

Nehemiah 9:16-20

When we think of confessing sin to God, we generally think of confessing our own personal sins.  “I cheated on my test”, or “I lied to my parents”, or any number of other sins.  We don’t generally confess someone else’s sins to God.  However, several times in the Bible we see people coming before the Lord and confessing the sins of the nation to Him, asking for His forgiveness for the whole country.  Today’s Scripture is a portion of one such confession.   Let’s look into what this is about.

The Book of Nehemiah tells of how after a portion of the Jewish people returned to the Promised Land after decades in captivity, they began to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.  When the rebuilding was completed, the people gathered together and the Scriptures were read, followed by confessing of the sins of the nation and worship of the Lord.  It was for the sins of the nation that they had gone into captivity years earlier, and they were confessing and seeking forgiveness.  As we read this portion of that confession we see the stubborn rebellion of Israel, and how it is contrasted with the unfailing mercy, patience, and provisions of God.

This section of the confession focused on the sins of the people during the years of their wandering in the wilderness, following the Exodus from Egypt and prior to their coming into the land that God promised them.  The people, as a nation, had sinned and rebelled against God all throughout those years, however there was one particular occasion of sin that glaringly stood out above all the others, and that was the golden calf they made and worshiped.

As we begin reading we see that the people of Israel had become very proud (vs. 16).  Pride is the root of rebellion against God.  Pride blinds people to God’s authority.  They hardened their neck, which is just what an ox does when he doesn’t want to put on the yoke and submit to the farmer.  They had become stubbornly resistant to the Lord, and refused to listen to or obey Him.  This was not ignorant sin, this was willful disobedience.  It was not passive, but active rebellion.  They had God’s commandments, but their sinful heart resisted God’s authority.  We see this in the world today.  People know what God has said, but they willfully shake their fists at Him.

God had just weeks before delivered them from years of slavery in Egypt.  He had parted the waters of the Red Sea, allowing them to escape the army of Pharaoh, but now they were refusing to obey Him (vs. 17).  They were even appointing a leader other than Moses to bring them back to Egypt (Exodus 14:11-12; Numbers 14:4).  What was God’s response to their sin?  He was ready to pardon them.  God was gracious and merciful.  He didn’t give them what they deserved.  He was slow to anger.  God’s patience is long and His wrath is measured.  This is the same way He acts towards us with our sins.  He remains gracious and remains faithful to His covenant.  Salvation is rooted in God’s mercy, not in any merit of ours.

As we continue reading in verse 18, we read of one particular act of apostasy. While Moses was on Mt. Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments and the Law of God, the people rebelled against God and made a molten calf to worship as their god (Exodus 32:1-10).  This occurred immediately after God’s mighty deliverance of them from Egypt.  The people had replaced their true God with a man-made idol, a false god whom they attributed with their deliverance.  When we replace God with anything, whether it is a false god of another religion, an object, an idea, or another person, that is idolatry.

We see the love and mercy of God shown abundantly here (vs. 19-20).  You might think that God would destroy them all, or wash His hands of the people and let them perish in the wilderness.  However that is not what He did.  Despite their sin, God did not abandon them.  He continued to guide them through the wilderness with the pillar of cloud and fire.  His guidance continued.  God’s mercy towards them, and towards us today with our many sins, is abundant and overflowing.  He has great patience with His people, and is committed to His promises and covenant.  God gave His Spirit to teach them, along with manna and water.  God’s grace is not only forgiving, but sustaining.  He does not merely pardon, He shepherds.

Despite Israel’s sin, God remained merciful, patient, faithful, and present for them.  He does so with His Blood-bought children today, as well.  God keeps His promises even when His people fail.  God’s grace is greater than our sin.  As St. Paul said in Romans 5:20, “But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.”

Pride is still at the root of all rebellion.  As believers, we need to cultivate humility and submission to God and His Word.  God’s mercy is our only hope.  His readiness to pardon us is the foundation of our assurance.  As we read in today’s Scripture passage, we see our own tendency to wander, and God’s unwavering commitment to bring us back to Him.  It reminds us that the story of redemption is not the story of human faithfulness, but is of divine mercy.  God’s grace is deeper than our rebellion.  His patience is longer than our stubbornness, and His kindness is greater than our sin.

Five Kingdom Parables

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-50

The Gospel reading for today from this week’s Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer presents five short, brief parables, each revealing a different facet of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Through these specific parables Jesus is teaching of the supernatural growth of God’s Kingdom, the transforming power of the Gospel, along with the surpassing worth of salvation, and then the final separation of the righteous from the wicked.  Some of these very short parables might be familiar to you, others not as much so.  Let’s take a look.

The first parable in this set is the Parable of the Mustard Seed (vs. 31-32).  The mustard seed is quite small.  Though technically not the smallest seed in the world, it would have been the smallest that Jesus’ audience would be familiar with.  Though tiny, the mustard plant would typically grow to 10-12 feet tall, with woody branches that birds would rest on.  This was an example of a small beginning to a large outcome, which also describes the early Church.  It started with just a handful of disciples and quickly spread all around the world.  The farmer plants the seed, but it is God who causes the seed to germinate and then grow to its size.  The Kingdom of God expands because God is at work (Acts 2; Matthew 16:18).  This mustard tree or plant is big enough that people easily see it, just like the Church’s testimony should be seen and visible by all.  Just as the birds come and rest in the mustard plant, the nations and peoples of the world can find refuge in the Kingdom (Ezekiel 17:23).

The second parable is the Parable of the Leaven (vs. 33).  Leaven is a substance like yeast or baking soda, which when added to the flour will make it rise.  Frequently in the Bible yeast symbolizes sin, but here Jesus uses it positively. to illustrate its influence and penetration.  Compared to the amount of flour, the yeast added is just a very small amount, yet it is very important to the making of bread.  The yeast works invisibly but thoroughly.  It makes all the difference in the world, for without it your bread recipe won’t work.  Likewise, the Kingdom of God works internally and quietly, transforming everything it touches.  God’s Kingdom changes hearts from the inside out (II Corinthians 5:17).  It permeates families, cultures, and societies.  Like yeast, the Kingdom works quietly, unseen, and slow, but it is always effective.  Once planted, it will accomplish His purpose (Isaiah 55:11).

The next parable Jesus told in this series was the Parable of the Hidden Treasure (vs. 44).  In this parable a man finds a treasure in a field, so he sells what he has in order to have enough money to buy the field.  The treasure is so important to him that he is willing to give up his belongings in order to obtain it.  His sacrifice is not reluctant, it is joyful.  The value of being part of God’s Kingdom is like that treasure.  It is worth giving up all that the world considers valuable in order to obtain it.  Genuine salvation produces a willingness to forsake anything that competes with Jesus.  This man was happy when he bought the field.  Salvation is not a loss, but a gain (Philippians 3:7-8).  As believers in God’s Kingdom, we should treasure Jesus above all earthly possessions or ambitions.

The fourth parable that Jesus told at this time is the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price (vs. 45-46).  In this parable a merchant was looking over beautiful pearls, and found one of great value.  Like the man with the field, he also sells all he has to obtain this pearl.  He doesn’t go after all of the pearls, just the one.  Likewise, there is only one true Savior, not many (Acts 4:12).  Jesus is not one option among many.  He is the only pearl worth our life.  This merchant was searching for a valuable pearl, just like those who seek truth and find Jesus.  Like this merchant and the man with the field, following Jesus requires surrender (Luke 14:33).  If we want to follow Jesus, we cannot be stuck on the things of this world.  It costs everything to follow Jesus, but once we do, we realize He is worth more than everything else.  Nothing this world offers will ever satisfy us as much as a relationship with Jesus.

The final parable is the Parable of the Dragnet (vs. 47-50).  In this parable Jesus uses a familiar fishing scenario for the people, one where fishermen throw a large net into the sea and after a brief while it is pulled in again.  The fishermen then sort out the catch, separating the good fish from the bad.  The Kingdom ends with the final judgment, with the eternal separation of the righteous and the wicked.  Jesus explicitly interprets this as the end-time judgment.  At this time the angels will divide the saved from the lost (Revelation 20:11-15).  There will be no second chances.  This judgment is irreversible.

These parables present a full picture.  The Kingdom begins small, works quietly, is worth everything, and will end in judgment.  Knowing this, we need to live with eternity in view.  We need to be sharing the Gospel with urgency.  There are many in the “net”, but not yet among the redeemed.

Our Intercessor

Romans 8:26-34

Have you ever stumbled over your words, not knowing exactly what you wanted to say?  Perhaps you were on the phone with someone from the customer service department and you were having a difficult time trying to explain something.  You wished you could just hand the phone to someone else to handle it for you.  Maybe it was in school and you had to go speak to the well-known, renowned professor.  You wished you could send your much more eloquent and charming friend on your behalf.  There are times when we feel that way when we are praying.  Can we just hand it over to someone else to handle?  St. Paul gives us the answer to that in our Scripture passage today.  Let’s see what God’s Word has to say.

We have had studies from the eighth chapter of Romans three times this month, and today is our fourth sojourn into this chapter, and next week will be our final one.  There is a lot of good, “spiritual meat” in this chapter.  Last week Paul had spoken about both creation and believers groaning with what they are going through, and today he adds a third groaning, that of the Holy Spirit on behalf of us (vs. 26). When does this happen? As I mentioned earlier, there are times when we face a very critical situation, or are carrying a very heavy burden, and we know we need to go to the Lord in prayer.  We want to go to Him in prayer, but we don’t know what to say.  It is then, as Paul says, that the Holy Spirit steps in and helps our human weakness, especially our inability to pray as we should.

Even when we can’t find the words to pray, the Holy Spirit is there, taking our requests before God.  He holds on with us, strengthening our prayers with silent, wordless intercession.  Rather than stumbling over our words, praying the wrong things, or just making a mess of our intercessions, the Holy Spirit’s intercession is perfectly aligned with God’s will (vs. 27).  Even when our prayers are confused, weak, or misdirected, the Holy Spirit prays rightly.

Next follows a verse that many people count as one of their favorites, and is often quoted when going through a difficult time.  Verse 28 assures us that whatever we are going through, the Lord will work it out for our good.  “All things” includes suffering, trials, persecution, weakness, and even our ignorance in prayer.  With how often we hear people quoting this verse, we might think that it is a cliche.  It is not, though.  It is a theological guarantee rooted in God’s eternal plan.

However, we must remember that this verse does not apply to everyone.  Paul stated that things work together for good to “those who love God”.  As we know, there are millions everywhere who do not love God, and this verse would not apply to them.  It applies only to believers, to Christians.  However, for Christians, whatever the reason for our trial, we can know that God has a purpose in that adversity, and that He has allowed it for our good.  When a bad event passes through God’s permissive will to affect us, He will bring good from it.

As we continue on in our Scripture passage we see that it is God’s desire that we are conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus (vs. 29).  It is God’s goal to make believers like His Son.  He is continually working to shape our character, conduct, and conversation.  Although God is the one who accomplishes the transformation, we have some responsibility in the process.  If we don’t cooperate with Him, the world will squeeze us into its mold, and we will miss the great plans God has for us.  As we are conformed to the image of Jesus, we will increasingly learn to be obedient to God and His Word.

The word “if” in verse 31 would be better translated as “since” because there is no question whether He might or might not be for us.  God is definitely for His children!  And since He is, no enemy - human, demonic, or circumstantial - can thwart His saving purpose for us.  God gave His Son for us, which is the greatest gift ever (vs. 32).  And because He did, He will “freely give us all things”, giving everything necessary for our salvation and perseverance.

Satan is right there, though, trying to bring accusations against us to God (vs. 33).  Scripture calls him the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10), but his accusations cannot stand because God justifies us.  There is no higher court in existence which can overturn His verdict!  There are four reasons why no one can condemn a believer (vs. 34).  Jesus died, paying the penalty for us.  He rose again, conquering death.  Jesus is now at the right hand of God, holding the place of authority.  And He is there making intercession for us, continually pleading our case.  As we see now, we have both the Holy Spirit praying for us, and also the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ!