Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought… Whatever of good is found in us is the result of a Divine influence. So our Bibles teach us; but the same truth has been affirmed by men who never saw the Bible. "Never did man attain to true greatness," writes Cicero, in one place, "without being the subject of a Divine inspiration," whilst another of the ancient philosophers says, "There is a holy Spirit which dwelleth within us — as we treat Him, so He treateth us, and He it is from whom every good man receiveth both honourable and upright purposes." How these heathens came by this knowledge, except as part of some traditional and half-preserved revelation, it seems hard to explain. Consider — I. THE INFIRMITIES WHICH THE TEXT SPEAKS OF AS BEING SO GREAT A HINDRANCE TO PRAYER. The word describes a sickness or positive disease in the moral system, incapacitating us for the employments which, in a healthy frame of spirit, would be our privilege and delight. 1. Ignorance, unskilledness in not knowing how to order our prayer before God, or to bring our spirit to an adequate appreciation of the work in which we are about to engage. The Divine Being must be felt to be present as an actual personal subsistence — a power willing to be sought, inclined to hearken, able to relieve, mighty to save. The formalist is at no effort to conceive of the presence of such a being while he is praying. The terminating object of his prayer is the prayer itself, and he does not look behind it. But the moment feelings of needed help and desired peace enter into our prayer, those perfunctory performances no longer satisfy us, we must be brought into near converse with God. That this difficulty discourages many in their first attempt at prayer will be readily admitted. "Teach us what we shall say unto God," says Elihu, "for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness." Whilst Job himself exclaims, "O that I knew where I might find Him," etc. Indeed, we may not hesitate to include a regard to this form of infirmity as being among the contemplated ends of our Divine Lord's incarnation. 2. Mistaken desires, hurtful and unwise choices in regard to what will make for our true happiness. Sometimes we pray for things positively hurtful to us, as when the Israelites prayed for meat in the wilderness; sometimes for things not wrong in themselves, but yet wrong because in an unsubmissive spirit, as when Rebecca said, "God, give me children, or else I die." We ask for medicines to be taken away which are working heaven's kindest cures, and we desire change in our outward lot which can only encompass us with new dangers and snares. 3. Unfixed and unworthy thoughts. The apostle prayed for the Corinthians — "That we may attend on the Lord without distraction," which describes a mind divided and rent by a multitude of contending thoughts, each demanding our fixed and earnest heed, all attended to in turn, but none appeased. And the apostle's prayer is, that God's footstool may never be made the place of such unseemly strife, but in that awful presence the heart may be at unity in itself, having one care to absorb, one errand to fulfil, one presence to realise, one voice to hear. II. IN WHAT WAY THE INFLUENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT MAY BE SAID TO HELP US AGAINST THEM. 1. He "helpeth," an expression which describes the joint bearing with the person helped, of a burden pressing upon both. The burden is not taken off, but there is a sustaining hand underneath which lightens the grievance of the pressure. The text therefore promises not a removed burden, but an ability to bear; not the supersession of your own exertions and means, but a gracious throwing in of the Holy Spirit's succours to make those means effectual. 2. He "maketh intercession for us." He is said to do that which He enables us to do. He is the source, and strength, and food of our whole devotional life. He moulds us into the praying frame; He suggests to us praying thoughts; He forms in us the praying habit. 3. He "maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." (D. Moore, M.A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. |
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