The Holy Spirit helps me when I am lost and confused. I do not know sometimes for what and even how to pray – but the Holy Spirit himself intercedes for me in ways words can not adequately describe. The Spirit intercedes in accordance with God’s will and connects that to me because – He knows my heart. Romans 8:26-27 (my paraphrase)
I have been thinking a lot this weekend about what God wants in my relationship with Him. Not exactly a novel idea but the more time I put my thoughts on God the less whining I do!
In this passage of Scripture, while familiar, I found a new perspective as I read it through several times. And as I often do, the words came out of the familiar translation and went to my own way of speaking. It was like sitting on my deck and having a glass of tea with God. I had several things to consider in our conversation.
First, has the Holy Spirit found a home in me? A home is:
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a welcoming place.
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a non-judging place.
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a joyful place.
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a place a visitor sees beauty.
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an open place for everyone (including visitors); not for those who consider themselves enemies.
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a real place that has no pretense or facade.
Jesus gave me the Holy Spirit 2,000 years ago. (John 16) The Holy Spirit dwelling in me implies that I am a ‘home’ to the Spirit. We live together! Just as I make choices in my own earthly home that makes it more than a structure/house, so I make choices in my life to create a spiritual dwelling for God. Just as God determined Israel’s king in David, not by his stature but by his heart, so God decides to live in me not because I am physically gorgeous but because I choose to make a home for Him in my life. My spiritual home is not usually as clean as I would like it – as God would like it to be for us – but God, again, looks at my heart and helps me or shows me how to clean!
To consider the words that the Holy Spirit himself intercedes for me brings to mind some of the most difficult but now most joyous moments in my life. In the agony of Gethsemane when all I could do is weep, the pain so great, the terror so real…the HOLY SPIRIT spoke a TRUE and RIGHTEOUS PRAYER – FOR ME!!! Yes, He did do that. I was not squeaky, Mr. Clean pure – but I had a ‘roommate’ that knew my heart. He knew that I knew that I was casting all my cares on God and calling the only One who could answer and so the Holy Spirit connected my heart to God. I cannot say that I knew at that moment the extravagance of His love. I knew relief and that peace beyond my simple mind to understand. From the distance of some years, I see more now and know more that is a testimony that leads me to invite the Holy Spirit to speak for me before I find myself in Gethsemane. And He is there. Ready. Never slow. Never sleeping. My Counselor. My Comforter. As promised.
