In this ongoing study of the Letter to the Romans, we approach the core. At length the apostle had first explained the limitedness of the world. He then spoke about the infinity of God’s salvation. This is the gospel of grace. Beginning in chapter 6, Paul talks about the impact of this message in our lives. Here in chapter 8 he talks about our own limitations. Despite all the promises and great expectation, we often lack strength today. With what confidence in God may we stand in life today?
Living in expectation is no small feat
Just before, Paul spoke of expectation:
“Expectation that is glimpsed is not expectation; for what someone glimpses – does he still expect it? But if we expect what we do not see, we wait for it with perseverance.
Rom 8:24-25
These are nice words, someone may think, but what do I get out of it myself? I don’t feel victorious at all. To this Paul responds with the following passage:
“But in the same way the Spirit also helps up our weakness; for that which we ought to pray (in accordance with what must be) we do not know; but the Spirit Himself uses Himself for us with unspoken groanings. But he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he useeth himself godly for saints.”
Rom 8:26-27
Living in expectation is no small feat, but there is support from God. Paul describes this with the words “But in the same way the Spirit also helps up our weakness.” What is meant by this is that God’s Spirit works where we cannot.
This statement is realistic in two respects:
- Weakness is part of life
- We can count on the reality of God.
We have no idea
We stand in this world and have an expectation, but still have no idea. Courageously, we can go forward every day, but do not know what will happen in a minute. The following film quote also speaks of this.
In the film “The Discovery of Heaven”, based on the novel of the same name by Harry Mulisch, Max discovers the heaven and is promptly struck by a meteorite in the next minute.
We can make assumptions about the future, but we cannot say with certainty what will come. We have promises and at best live in expectation. The discrepancy between current reality and this expectation is palpable, all the more so because people face many challenges and do not always have answers.
The present time contrasts with the future time. But here we may experience help – the spirit helps up our weakness. The Spirit, who testifies with our spirit that we are children of God (Rom 8:16), is also active in us. But how should we think of it?
“That which we ought to pray (in accordance with that which must be) we know not; but the Spirit Himself uses Himself for us with unspoken groanings.”
Rom 8:26
We do not even know what we should pray. We may have many words and intentions and tell God whole novels in prayer. Perhaps we also lack words in view of the situation we have just experienced. That is our experience. We don’t know what is really next according to God’s plan and work. That is where our weakness lies. And it is there that God’s Spirit works.
Divine help
The Spirit Himself uses Himself for us – this is the divine help given to us in our weakness. That is what we can count on.
This Spirit uses Himself for us with “unspeakable groaning,” Paul writes. So it will not be audible, maybe not even visible. There is no assurance of special effects, of exuberant feelings of security and confidence on our part, of thunder and flashes of light, but the Spirit speaks with unspoken sighs.
If you let this expression sink in a bit, it also becomes clear that not even God’s spirit finds the right words. Only a sigh comes. And it is not we who sigh – it is God’s Spirit who sighs. When we fall silent, God falls silent with us, but not inactive. His Spirit uses Himself “for us,” it says. The sigh is in our favor. We are not left alone, even if what happens to us is inconceivable.
The Spirit of God knows exactly what it takes, but there is groaning or groaning in us. The Greek word expresses something constricting, as if God’s Spirit is breaking through our lack of understanding and inability. It is almost as if God is groaning with His Spirit in us and through us until the Word becomes reality and the promise is fulfilled.
The word groan has already been used several times in this chapter. However, not from God’s Spirit, but from ourselves and from this world (Rom 8:22-23). So here we see something of God’s empathy, who works directly in us and “uses himself for us”. This is of great comfort, especially in view of all the things we do not yet see (Rom 8:25).
Here is the encouragement that Paul gives us: God Himself helps us in our weakness. The mind of the Spirit is to be godly to saints. God is for you.
