We are not alone. We have faithful, effective intercessors.

Romans 8:27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. There is great encouragement from this verse as we answer questions we must ask from the text. First, who is it that searches the hearts? The Scriptures teach us that it is Jesus. 1 Chronicles 28:9 “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts.” Jeremiah 17:10 “I, the LORD, search the heart.” Rev. 2:23. Jesus said to the church of Thyatira, “All the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. Second, what is the mind of the Spirit? What is the Spirit’s concern regarding our hearts that Jesus knows? If we answer this from the context of Romans 8, we conclude that the Spirit’s concern is 1) setting us free from the law of sin and of death (vs. 2), 2) fulfilling the requirements of the Law in us (vs. 4), 3) giving us the life and peace of Jesus (vs. 6), 4) giving life to our mortal bodies (vs. 11), 5) putting to death the deeds of the flesh/the mortal body (vss. 13-14), and 6) inspiring our crying out, “Abba, Father!” (vs. 15). Our being conformed into the image of Jesus Christ in the womb of creation is how Paul summarizes the mind of the Spirit and the will of God in vs. 29. We ask a third question, who is the “He”? Is it the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit? Proper grammar rules inform us to go back to the antecedent, which is the Holy Spirit. Paul’s point was that Jesus knows the mind of the Spirit because the Holy Spirit always intercedes along the line of God’s will and purpose for us. Jesus knows what the will of God is, so He understands the intercession of the Spirit for the saints. Now we are ready to draw the encouragements Paul intended for us from this verse. The sons and daughters of God in this present stage of development are weak. As we suffer the pains and pressure of spiritual formation in this fallen world, we groan within ourselves, along with all creation and the Holy Spirit. We eagerly are waiting for this painful process to be completed in glory. Although we don’t know how to pray, we are not alone. We have great encouragement, comfort, and confidence because we have faithful, effective intercessors, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, who know God’s purpose for this stage of development of the body of Christ. In vss. 28-29, Paul will be more specific as to the purpose and will of God for us that the Son and Spirit know. For today, we can take heart from these great truths: As we walk by the Spirit today, living to love with Jesus, we are not alone. Our service of worship is to embrace this stage of weakness and give it to Him, lay it at His feet, so to speak, and groan, praise, thank, and stand with confidence that God is for us and will complete His work in us for His glory. Be expectant and hopeful of future grace—the grace the Holy Spirit will give you when you need it to love well for the glory of God. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com