I’ve been reading and meditating on Hebrews this week. I’ve taken my time as I found there have been lots of “little” things I’ve missed before. Some mornings I have read only one chapter and just thought about some particular verses in the chapter. I have also studied some thoughts a little more deeply.
So this morning I finally reached chapter 11, our Wall of Faith for the Christian world. You know, lots of people faced lots of things and held on to faith. Toward the end of the chapter it says that they didn’t even receive the promise they’d been waiting for (Christ) because they were waiting for us, so that we all together can be made perfect through Christ.
But what stuck out to me this morning lies between verses 32 and 38. Through faith they experienced scourgings and mockings. They were stoned, sawn in two,and imprisoned! I don’t think that matches our Western idea of faith!These warriors did not receive houses, new cars and live elaborately on this earth. On the contrary it says they lived by wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground! Wow!
Faith doesn’t “get” us stuff, it takes us through stuff!
I really needed to read this particular passage this morning for that morning lift. You know I have looked back over the last 2 years (really most of my life) and seen God provide when I thought there wasn’t a way! He has taken care of us no matter where we were staying, from hospitals, to nursing homes and rehab, etc! He has been an excellent provider. I have no complaints.
Last night I was still concerned about Chris as he was wheezing terribly. We had done the inhaler every four hours and all the meds I dare give him. But at bedtime he was breathing noisily. I placed my hands on him and really prayed with no words. I can’t explain it any better than that. I don’t know if you want to call it lack of faith or full of faith – but I am pretty sure it wasn’t the latter as I just am in a place that I don’t sense faith in myself. Because to me, faith would say, “Lay hands on him, pray, and he’ll be well.” Too many unanswered prayers over the last two years have brought me away from that perspective.
But I laid my hands on Chris, and thought of the scripture “They shall lay hands on the sick and they will recover.” And my hope was there although I cannot say I had faith for God to do it. However, the true faith was in the fact that if He didn’t touch my son, I still knew I’d be trusting Him through the night.
So I didn’t really “pray” or say anything..more like hope I think. The next thing I knew as I was getting ready to go to bed – there was no wheezing and Chris was sound asleep. Some might say the meds kicked in, but I think God had a hand in it. Chris slept all night. I got up twice when he coughed to turn him and that was it. They were real good hardy – move it all out – types of coughs!
What today will bring is a mystery…but I will be trusting in Him to carry me through!
Praying with or without words…
is still prayer!
From the Furnace 
#1 by Jeannie on October 29, 2010 - 6:37 pm
Pray in the Spirit, Sis. Pray in the Spirit. God will do exceedingly, abundantly above what you ask or think. That is His Word.
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#2 by Jeanie Olinger on October 29, 2010 - 7:22 pm
Yes, with “utterances too deep for words”….I understand that now!
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#3 by Connie on November 2, 2010 - 3:19 am
(Job 32:8 But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding) Today’s post went deep; beyond reasoning. Hugs
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#4 by Jeanie Olinger on November 2, 2010 - 12:54 pm
It is overwhelming to me to know that God is so intimately acquainted with me that He understands my heart with or without the use of words!
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#5 by Jeannie on November 2, 2010 - 5:41 am
Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for 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. Verse 27 continues by saying, ” He (speaking of the Spirit) maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” When I realized that I did not have to always pray with understanding ( in my own language), but that praying in the Spirit, I was praying according to His Will, it took a lot of pressure off. I knew then I couldn’t go wrong by praying in the Spirit, because that moves me out of the way, and gives Him the right to do it His way, and not mine.
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#6 by Jeanie Olinger on November 2, 2010 - 12:56 pm
Amen! There have been many times over the years that I have simply not known what to pray. Sometimes we in this flesh just do not know! These times I have prayed “without understanding” only to see God’s hand displayed in the situation!
You can’t pray wrong when you pray in the spirit.
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#7 by Connie on November 2, 2010 - 6:22 pm
Agree with Jeannie – it took lots of pressure off to pray in the spirit. Amazing that I discovered that verse in Romans years ago as a Baptist and laid prostrate on my bedroom floor knowing that He understood the groanings of my heart better than I did and actually received them as more than whining or agonized moans. THAT was my first step toward prayer language. When I finally received my prayer language, my thought was that I had received it a long time ago but without a freedom of flow. In other words, I only knew how to pray in the spirit when my spirit was so overwhelmed that I had no choice but to let Him take over. It’s a treat to be able to just get into it now; and once I’m past what I know the Word says, I let Him have it. Big relief !
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#8 by Jeanie Olinger on November 2, 2010 - 6:32 pm
It’s wonderful when we work past the stages of “travail” in the spirit and the groanings as you mentioned and end up in full blown fellowship! Those times are so sweet. I know that the groaning times are so beneficial and yields answers. Many of us probably started out much like you described.
I think it’s sort of like being pregnant – not realizing what’s growing and going on inside you. Then birthing – the pain of bringing it forth. Then enjoying – holding the baby and developing that relationship.
Maybe this is a decent analogy! I don’t know… but once we know Holy Spirit like that…”who’s gonna stand in our way?”
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#9 by Jeannie on November 3, 2010 - 9:04 pm
I still have times of great groaning, even moaning. So deep within that I cannot find words, don’t always know what’s going on to be able to verbalize it, but He usuallly gives me enough understanding that I know what I may be interceding over. Yes, it is most certainly like childbirth. The scriptures bare this out, using phrases like,”a woman in travail about to deliver her child.” To a great extent you are delivering a child; you are birthing what cannot come forth any other way. It is also total dependence upon Him!!!! You know you can’t do it on your own; so you lean into and onto Him, helpless, knowing that if He doesn’t step into the picture (situation, problem, etc) then there is no hope nor any help.
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#10 by Jeanie Olinger on November 3, 2010 - 10:17 pm
I am so totally dependent upon Him from here. I really cannot do this in my own strength. I know with each day I increasingly feel Holy Spirit “snuggling up” to me and comforting me to help me through. Otherwise, I really do not know what I would do. I have made the statement that I am “birthing” Chris again. Not many parents get a chance to raise their kids twice!
Thanks for sharing..and thanks for reading!
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