Stronger Inexpressible Prayer
by Jared Johnson
How can something be stronger if it’s simultaneously inexpressible? Wouldn’t that mean it’s ethereal, not definable, elusive? Stone is the first strong thing that comes to mind and it’s definite. Vapor is undefinable and vanishes at the slightest breath; it’s weak.
The last three weeks, Drs Johnson and Roadcup and Mike Killebrew have had great things to say about curing anemic, “anorexic” prayer lives, about simply doing prayer to access our Father’s power and to cultivate ideal spiritual growth conditions for our souls.
I’m not sure what to say after all that wisdom! When I don’t know what to say, The Word will say it infinitely better. There’s one verse in the New Testament about prayer that always confuses, beckons, befuddles and captures me – Romans 8.26.
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. (NLT)
Mind: blown. I grew up in church. My dad was preaching with a seminary degree before I was done with diapers. In the 80s and 90s we were a typical church family, at the church building on Sundays, Sunday nights, Wednesdays, and some other time besides. I went to two Christian colleges for my undergrad and later got a seminary degree myself. I have heard about and been soaking in theological ideas for more than four decades. My closest friends and I, in high school, would stay up through the night until 5am on project-due dates, half the night spent debating theology, the other half working on whatever the project was. Those discussions continued every college break and lasted into adulthood.
But this verse cuts right through all that noise every time. I know Jesus is my Advocate. I know God knows me perfectly and is more than immediately present to me every millisecond of every day. But the fact the Spirit prays for me … ?!? And He prays for me in ways utterly indescribable, inexpressible, un-understandable. I’m writing hundreds of words about it, but it leaves me speechless. The idea soars right over my head no matter how hard I fixate on it.
His prayers on my behalf are inexpressible, and what I try, in vain, to understand about His intervention, likewise, is inexpressible in my limitations.
He knows me perfectly and communicates what needs to be “said” before God’s Throne when I just can’t. Remember "can’t even” or “just can’t even?” Yes, I know it’s dated. But the shoe fits. When I just can’t even comprehend myself or what to say, when I just can’t even form a coherent thought (or a coherent word!), He knows perfectly what’s happening in my mind and soul – and how to put it before The Father’s Throne.
God is all-present; we know that mentally. How often do we invite Him into the moments of our daily lives to know it experientially? He’s everywhere, always. He spans the entire universe and beyond with less than His “pinky fingernail.” Yet He suffuses every molecule and atom … (wanna go full nerd?: He’s in every electron, proton, neutron, quark, superstring, Planck length and every miniscule speck of the “quantum foam”). Of all the things out there, this actually reminds me of a Christian rapper’s song from years ago, Ambassador’s Crown Him: “Crown Him Lord of … Everything! All things, past, present and future! That’s the raw things – I’m talking the vast and the minutia!” The Spirit is in the very neurons of my mind (mixed metaphor intentional) so He can express with precision what’s barely a groan to me.
When I don’t know what to ask our Good Father for my wife or family, for my friends, or for myself, this verse assures me I can ask The Spirit who knows all of them perfectly and their situations perfectly; He’ll intercede for them, perfectly.
A long time ago I trusted God with my eternity. I have come to trust Him for my daily provision. After two major surgeries in 2021 I’m starting – maybe – to trust Him with my physical health. This verse tells me I can trust Him with my prayer life too and I’m beginning to do that. I’m learning, when my words run out, to begin leaning on the Spirit in prayer. I can trust Him to advocate for me in just the ways He knows that I need.
The Spirit’s prayers on my behalf are incomprehensible and inexpressible to my limited mental and emotional intelligence. He’s unlimited. I’m finite. His prayers for me are inexpressible – but oh my goodness are they so much stronger.
