...He Knows

Silence can speak louder than words.

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God." (Romans 8:26-27. NIV 2011 Edition)

When I was a kid growing up, one of my most favorite things to do would be to lay on my mother's lap as she peacefully rubbed my back. This was one of the intimate, mother-to-son moments that we shared where neither of us had to say anything at all yet our hearts would talk to one another, letting each other know that we were both in a safe place. Now I can't remember if in these moments I would pray or not but I do remember times when my mother would softly ask "are you hungry?" "How did she know?" I'd often wonder, but I would calmly reply with a "yes." After our moment was over, she'd go downstairs and fix something for me while I eagerly yet peaceably awaited the food. Sure enough, to my delight, she would bring the food upstairs and set it up in front of me and allow me to eat as we sat and watched TV for the rest of the evening until bedtime.

...He Knows.

If we can be honest, sometimes in life we really don't know what to pray for. Sometimes the right thing to do feels like it's behind Door #1, #2, or #3 and we're left guessing which one to pick. Also, sometimes we wind up picking the wrong doors and find ourselves hurt in the process. But even in the midst of our uncertainty, God knows what's on our mind and He knows the best thing for us to do. The bible says that God intercedes on behalf of our moanings and groanings, sort of like how my mom was able to tell that I was hungry and I didn't even have to say a word. Not only does He know what is causing our discomfort and weakness, He knows the right things to cure our voiceless petitions.

How do we get to a place where this silent conversation can occur best? We should offer up our quiet time just like David, and allow God to lead us into his green pastures. This will allow for us to freely express what is on our hearts through prayer and conversation with God. If you get away from the grind and get away from the noise, it doesn't matter if we say anything at all. God knows, and will search our hearts for our petition. And who better to operate on our behalf than the one who writes out our destiny?