26 Likewise 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. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Romans 8:26-27, NRSV
As I write these words, the headline alerts are popping up on my phone. Another mass shooting. Ten lives lost. Ten families grieving. A suspect in custody. A community shaken.
Of course, this comes on the heels of last week’s news alerts, last week’s headlines. Another mass shooting. Eight lives lost. Eight families grieving. A suspect in custody. A community shaken.
These headlines are both horrifying and familiar. As a person of faith in a horrifyingly familiar situation, I find myself longing to pray… and yet, I also find myself at a loss for words. I try to cobble together some prayerful words, but they just seem feeble and trite and altogether lacking. I don’t know what to say — or what to pray — at a moment like this.
I’ll find my words again. I’ll find words for meaningful prayers and important conversations and perhaps even a little prophetic witness. But until then, I’m counting on the wisdom of Romans, a wisdom that reminds me: when I’m at a loss for words, the Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.
If you’re at a loss for words… the Spirit has a sigh reserved for you, too.
So today, on our Wednesday “call to prayer,” I invite you to share your words of prayer, if you have them… and I invite you to sigh with the Spirit if you don’t.
What are you praying for today?
Share your prayer requests by:
- Emailing Pastor Candy: pastorcandy@wesleychurch.com
- Emailing Pastor Debbie: pastordebbie@wesleychurch.com
- Filling out our digital prayer card: https://wesleychurch.com/prayer-request-test/
Together, our Wesley Church Prayer Team will pray for each of your requests. If you would prefer for your prayer request to remain confidential with the pastoral staff, please indicate that in your message.
Be people of prayer, friends… and remember:
Our God is bigger than coronavirus.
Our vision is bigger than coronavirus, too.
We are people blessing people.
We are Wesley Church.
Want to know more?
- Learn about our church and its ministries: https://wesleychurch.com/
- Make a gift to support our mission: https://wesleychurch.com/giving-2/
- View our recent messages: https://wesleychurch.com/sermon-message-on-video/
- View previous devotionals: https://wesleychurch.com/pastor-candys-devotionals-2/
