I have always pondered something that Paul wrote to the Romans that has been viewed from many different perspectives. My focus on the eighth chapter has been devoted to verses 28, 29 and 30, but a recent reading gave me pause to look a little deeper at the two previous verses:

Rom 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. ESV

The focus of many believers has always been on The Spirit praying for them individually because we are too weak and don’t often know what we should be praying for. And while that’s true, I think we miss a deeper truth; Time we spend in prayer and communion with God is not meant for our natural life. It is meant to nourish the life of the Son of God in us. God uses our circumstances, which we don’t often understand, in order that The Spirit can use them in making intercession for us …  the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Many ascribe to the understanding that “prayer alters things.” That’s true but more importantly “prayer alters the man who prays,” and he alters things.

When we were born again from above, the life of Jesus was born in us; the Holy Spirit has made us His Temple. Our responsibility is to nourish His presence and that is really the meaning of our prayer. In other words, the essential meaning of prayer is that the nourishment of the life of the Son of God in us enables the Holy Spirit to manifest Himself in our bodies; His Temple. And therefore you have the most important element in the calling that Jesus has given every member of His bride …  to be conformed to the image of his Son (28) ESV.

The Holy Spirit intercedes for us regarding our circumstances and what we do not understand about them, while we pray for the revelation of the Life of Christ in us to the world around us, and that reveals the very things that the Holy Spirit wants changed in our life along our path to spiritual maturity; the things that we need to alter.

Makes you stop and think about what you are praying for.