Sighs vs. Words

"Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words."

(Romans 8:26)

Anthony deMello retells the following story in his book, Taking Flight...

"The village priest was a holy man, so each time the people were in trouble they had recourse to him. He would then withdraw to a special place in the forest and say a special prayer. God would always hear his prayer and the village would be helped.

"When he died and the people were in trouble, they had recourse to his successor, who was not a holy man, but knew the secret of the special place in there forest and the special prayer. So he said, 'Lord, you know I am not a holy man. But surely yo are not going to hold that against my people? So listen to my prayer and come to our assistance.' And God would hear his prayer and the village would be helped.

"When he died and the people were in trouble they had recourse to his successor, who knew the special prayer but not the place in the forest. So he said, 'What do you care for places, Lord? Is not every place made holy by your presence? So listen to my prayer and come to our assistance.' And once again, God would hear his prayer and the village would be helped.

"Now he too tied, and when the people were in trouble they had recourse to his successor, who did not know the special prayer or the special place int he forest. So he said, 'It isn't the formula that you value, Lord, but the cry of the heart in distress. So listen to my prayer and come to our assistance.' And once again God would hear his prayer and the village would be helped.

"After this man died, when the people were in trouble, they had recourse to his successor. Now this priest had more use for money than for prayer. So he would said to God, 'What sort of a God are you that while you are perfectly capable of solving problems that you yourself have caused, you still refuse to lift a finger until you have us cringe and beg and plead? Well, you can do as you please with the people.' Then he would go right back to whatever business he had in hand. And once again, God would hear his prayer and the village would be helped."

I love that story because it reminds me that prayer isn't so much about knowing the right words to say... or being in the right place... or even having the heart heart and motives. Prayer = Relationship. And we're in a relationship with the God of the Universe who loves us deeply. AND... God's spirit searches us out and knows what we need most. So that part of Romans 8:26 which says, "The Holy Spirit intercedes with God on our behalf" is actually pretty powerful stuff. Wow.