Prayer

The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. Romans 8:26

Grace and peace to you on this beautiful summer Saturday morning. Earlier this week I was exasperated when reading the newspaper. Every article seemed to bear calamitous news. In the face of upsetting news, it’s easy to wonder if there’s anything that can be done. How should we even pray?  

The words above by Apostle Paul to the community living in Rome provide comfort, though not release. The Spirit knows how to pray through us, aligning our prayers with the will of God. We are invited to welcome the Spirit into our hearts and open ourselves to God’s intention for creation. Surrendering our own will is hard work and it takes time for the Spirit to till the soil of our hearts.

How do we begin? By setting aside time each day to breathe deeply and invite the Holy Spirit to come in our weakness so that the Spirit can pray through us in ways that are deeper than words. Practiced regularly, slowly we will notice how the Spirit is moving in our lives, revealing to us how we can align our lives with God’s desire. 

With the Spirit praying through us, perhaps we can bear the daily news and see the small part we can play in bringing the kingdom of heaven to a broken world. 

See you tomorrow to hear more about the kingdom of heaven.

The Rev. Jenifer Gamber, Rector
St. Peter's Episcopal Church
saint-peters.org