I am so thrilled to live in the day that I live. I have the privilege of access to awesome technology. Yes, I can rise with the birds and sing to people, without even leaving my home. Yet as well, I still enjoy a deep heritage of spiritual moorings, only 90 years west of the Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our land. Sometimes privitive in its settings (few remember “brush arbors” or “cottage prayer meetings”) but always powerful in its manifestatons. Yes, I have real memories of a God who is awesome, way beyond mere religion. I have seen and tasted of His miraculous work in my own life. I am privileged!
Why all this excitement?
I guess it was set off by the reality that God is in control of my life destiny, at a time when men are working hard politically to thwart what God may be doing practically in our own community. Even my writing about “God” may be seen by some as a little over board, giving that they have confused politics and man’s machine with the reality of providence and sovereignty. I better stop, for I may be attempting to tell blind people about color!
Why the title, Groaning?
Groaning is what the Holy Spirit does in and through our spirit, as He intercedes on Earth for the things God desires from the heavens. Groaning was what He was doing in the prayers at Gethsemane through the Son of Mary. Groanings are the language of the Spirit that assures the sovereign work of God, though housed in the vulnerable bodies of men.
Some of this rambling, you may blame on Oswald Chambers, whose timely word has meant so much in my life. Yesterday, his choice of scripture assures me that “All things work together for good to them that love God.” Rom. 8:28. And this morning, as I pray for God’s will in my community, “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.” Rm 8:26.
When I seem troubled in my prayer life, struggling to pull out of God what I think I need, eventually the groaning in my spirit (at times even agonizing over what I think or fear might happen if God doesn’t intercede), my silliness, or stupidity is another word, finally, gives way to His spirit. He then prays through me what is necessary to achieve God’s will. Wow!
Yes, He often groans through me, but not in my strength; for again, Christ has already won that for me; even “with great sweat drops of blood” in Gethsemane. He assured at Calvary my right to petition God, and provided for me an advocate that even dwells in my body, the temple of the Holy Spirit. Is that not awesome or what!
Love, Joy, Peace and yes, even righteousness by the Holy Spirit; He groans as I gravitate toward God!
I am so glad that I am alive and that He lives also in me!