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By: Tim Wolff You may listen to this devotion in audio form via podcast here.
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 through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
As an adult, approaching the Christmas season is a little different than when you're younger. I’m more thankful for time spent with family. I’m more reflective of the glorious gift of Christ. I can’t say I was focused on much more than the presents nestled under the tree much before I reached high school. I remember in the weeks, sometimes months, leading up to Christmas I’d start compiling my wish list. Pulling together everything my heart could ever desire and just hoping my parents would quench my craving for things. And then came those glorious Christmas mornings, ripping through the obstacle that is wrapping paper to find all my tiny hearts desire. What a wonderful time it was.
But as I grew up, my list became smaller. I realized there was much less that I really needed. In fact, I don’t really make lists the same way I used to. I can’t say I don’t still look forward to opening presents and really, I think I find more joy in these new listless gifts. That feeling of opening a gift from someone you love, to find something you never heard of or never knew you wanted, to realize how truly known you are that they can fill your desires before you even knew about them yourself. I love that! That is my favorite kind of gift. To know that you are known AND loved.
That is the God that we serve and celebrate this season, and all year long. Romans tells us that even when our weakness is so great that we can’t even fathom what we need or what will get us out of our situation, the Spirit intercedes through our wordless groans. Have you ever had one of those moments, maybe many of those moments? When life is just so frustrating or your situation seems so overwhelming. You know and want to cry out to God but you have no words. All you can muster from your heart is to shout “God! Please! God! Help!” You don’t even really know what it means. You don’t really know what help looks like or what you’re even asking, but that’s ok because you know that God does. You know that God is exactly what you need and knows exactly how to help. Even in that terrible place, there is comfort in being known like this.
Life around the holidays is always a little chaotic. We always seem to get the busiest around this time we have to pause and reflect. In these next moments of scrambling and rushing around, take comfort in the knowledge that you are known. The God of the universe knows you before you know you. He knows your thoughts before you think them. He knows your needs before you can muster up a prayer…and He loves you!