1 00:00:02,650 --> 00:00:12,889 Speaker 1: Life Audio Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We are so 2 00:00:12,930 --> 00:00:16,670 Speaker 1: glad to have you listening. I'm Michelle Lazurek. Today's topic 3 00:00:16,750 --> 00:00:20,390 Speaker 1: is The Lord Intercedes for Us. We'll be back after 4 00:00:20,410 --> 00:00:36,140 Speaker 1: a word from our sponsor. The Lord intercedes for us. 5 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:40,180 Speaker 1: Written and read by Michelle S. Lazarek. In the same way, 6 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:42,700 Speaker 1: the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not 7 00:00:42,729 --> 00:00:44,830 Speaker 1: know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit 8 00:00:44,870 --> 00:00:49,130 Speaker 1: himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who 9 00:00:49,190 --> 00:00:51,670 Speaker 1: searches our heart knows the might of the Spirit, for 10 00:00:51,690 --> 00:00:54,110 Speaker 1: the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the 11 00:00:54,150 --> 00:00:58,620 Speaker 1: will of God. Romans 8, verse 26 and 27. It 12 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: was a summer of trial. It was one thing after another, 13 00:01:01,700 --> 00:01:04,380 Speaker 1: with no end in sight. My husband and I prayed 14 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:07,459 Speaker 1: together and clung to God's promises. We read the word 15 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:09,580 Speaker 1: and hoped God would lessen the trials and be a 16 00:01:09,620 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: little more merciful. But it never stopped. My husband's income 17 00:01:13,740 --> 00:01:17,470 Speaker 1: became volatile. My daughter's car died right after her. Hours 18 00:01:17,510 --> 00:01:20,690 Speaker 1: were dramatically reduced at her job. My son moved away 19 00:01:20,730 --> 00:01:22,730 Speaker 1: with no opportunity to see him in the near future. 20 00:01:23,730 --> 00:01:26,630 Speaker 1: It was just all too much. For several months afterward, 21 00:01:26,890 --> 00:01:29,790 Speaker 1: trials kept coming hard and fast. They were actually comical. 22 00:01:30,990 --> 00:01:33,170 Speaker 1: Each week, brought something new to our home that we 23 00:01:33,190 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 1: had to fix. One night, as I got into bed, 24 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:40,740 Speaker 1: I considered praying. However, I had no words to pray. Instead, 25 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 1: I repeated the word help in my mind. The tears 26 00:01:43,459 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: streamed down my face and onto my pillow. I remember 27 00:01:46,260 --> 00:01:48,780 Speaker 1: the verse in that moment. This is what it's like 28 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:51,260 Speaker 1: for the Holy Spirit to intervene for us with wordless groans. 29 00:01:52,220 --> 00:01:54,430 Speaker 1: The Spirit knows exactly what we need, even when we 30 00:01:54,450 --> 00:01:58,070 Speaker 1: cannot articulate or formulate the words to pray in an 31 00:01:58,150 --> 00:02:01,300 Speaker 1: intelligible language. When I've been in so much pain due 32 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,110 Speaker 1: to illness, I'll groan to find relief from the pain. 33 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,330 Speaker 1: This is why the Spirit groans, to help us find 34 00:02:07,370 --> 00:02:10,609 Speaker 1: relief from our pain. The good news is that because 35 00:02:10,650 --> 00:02:13,669 Speaker 1: God knows us intimately and knows everything about us, He 36 00:02:13,690 --> 00:02:16,930 Speaker 1: already knows what we need before we express it. The 37 00:02:16,950 --> 00:02:18,570 Speaker 1: genius of the gospel is that we don't need to 38 00:02:18,610 --> 00:02:20,490 Speaker 1: have the right words or say exactly what we need 39 00:02:20,530 --> 00:02:23,340 Speaker 1: to express. Even when we don't pray and ask for 40 00:02:23,380 --> 00:02:26,300 Speaker 1: exactly what we need, God's love and omniscience carry our 41 00:02:26,340 --> 00:02:30,180 Speaker 1: requests to His ears. Isn't it nice to know that 42 00:02:30,220 --> 00:02:31,970 Speaker 1: we don't have to have it all together to have 43 00:02:31,990 --> 00:02:35,250 Speaker 1: an intimate relationship with God? We've all gone through difficult 44 00:02:35,290 --> 00:02:38,750 Speaker 1: trials in our lives, but some seasons seem harder than others. 45 00:02:39,690 --> 00:02:41,770 Speaker 1: When it feels as if God is being relentless and 46 00:02:41,790 --> 00:02:44,950 Speaker 1: allowing trials to transform our character, we can take solace 47 00:02:44,990 --> 00:02:46,570 Speaker 1: in knowing that we don't need to pray the right 48 00:02:46,610 --> 00:02:49,930 Speaker 1: words or even pray any words at all. All we 49 00:02:49,970 --> 00:02:51,370 Speaker 1: need to do is come to the Spirit with a 50 00:02:51,389 --> 00:02:54,270 Speaker 1: contrite heart and He will do the rest. Is there 51 00:02:54,290 --> 00:02:56,030 Speaker 1: something that you have not taken the time to pray for? 52 00:02:57,350 --> 00:02:58,790 Speaker 1: Is there something that you have not brought to God 53 00:02:58,810 --> 00:03:00,930 Speaker 1: because it is simply too difficult for you to express? 54 00:03:01,950 --> 00:03:05,740 Speaker 1: Perhaps you have a wayward child, a difficult relationship, or 55 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 1: some other hardship that is preventing you from having an 56 00:03:07,940 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: intimate relationship with God. Everyone goes through dry spiritual times. 57 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: Simply because God feels distant does not mean He is. Instead, 58 00:03:17,100 --> 00:03:19,900 Speaker 1: He is always present with us. Even if we cannot 59 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: feel His presence, we can take comfort in knowing He 60 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,260 Speaker 1: is with us, knows exactly what we need, and His 61 00:03:25,300 --> 00:03:28,530 Speaker 1: Spirit intercedes for us. don't be afraid to bring to 62 00:03:28,550 --> 00:03:31,870 Speaker 1: God your deepest, darkest feelings. It is not unknown to God. 63 00:03:32,389 --> 00:03:34,990 Speaker 1: In fact, it is downright silly to hide our deepest 64 00:03:35,010 --> 00:03:38,510 Speaker 1: feelings from God because He knows us so intimately. He 65 00:03:38,590 --> 00:03:41,410 Speaker 1: even knows how many hairs are on our heads. God 66 00:03:41,430 --> 00:03:43,270 Speaker 1: wants us to come to Him with our feelings because 67 00:03:43,290 --> 00:03:45,990 Speaker 1: He loves us. He never asks us to be perfect, 68 00:03:46,270 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: to be part of God's kingdom. Father, thank you for 69 00:03:49,590 --> 00:03:52,970 Speaker 1: knowing us intimately. Thank you for sending your Spirit to 70 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:57,020 Speaker 1: be our advocate, even in times of great trial. Take 71 00:03:57,060 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 1: comfort in knowing that you are interceding for us with 72 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:03,740 Speaker 1: groans that only God can hear and understand. Remind us 73 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,780 Speaker 1: that God will answer our deepest groanings. Amen. Intersecting faith 74 00:04:08,820 --> 00:04:11,100 Speaker 1: and life. What is an area of your life that 75 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,090 Speaker 1: you have difficulty bringing to God? Take a moment to 76 00:04:14,100 --> 00:04:20,630 Speaker 1: bring it to Him now. Further reading, Matthew 26, verse 49. 77 00:04:23,029 --> 00:04:26,010 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to today's devotional. If you liked what 78 00:04:26,029 --> 00:04:28,110 Speaker 1: you heard today, We want to make sure you know 79 00:04:28,170 --> 00:04:32,110 Speaker 1: about our sister podcast, Your Daily Prayer. When you follow 80 00:04:32,170 --> 00:04:35,470 Speaker 1: Your Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app, you'll get 81 00:04:35,510 --> 00:04:38,630 Speaker 1: a brand new prayer and devotional each day so your 82 00:04:38,670 --> 00:04:42,299 Speaker 1: days begin in conversation with God. If you're looking to 83 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,099 Speaker 1: grow in prayer or start your day with your heart 84 00:04:45,180 --> 00:04:49,260 Speaker 1: focused on the right things, search for Your Daily Prayer 85 00:04:49,620 --> 00:04:52,460 Speaker 1: in your favorite podcast app and be sure to follow 86 00:04:52,500 --> 00:04:55,419 Speaker 1: the show so you get a new prayer delivered straight 87 00:04:55,500 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 1: to you each morning.