Meditation 295
Romans 8:22-27
The book of Acts tells of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in a dramatic and unifying way, as the sound as of the rushing of wind was heard and the disciples spoke in many languages, so that all the people in Jerusalem were able to hear the gospel message in their own language. In John’s gospel we hear Jesus promising the Paraclete, or intercessor and comforter, which is how the Holy Spirit would be manifest to the believers when Jesus was no longer with them. Here, in the book of Romans, we have a description of how the Spirit is at work within the world. The Spirit has been manifested in a dramatic way, it is a promised gift from Jesus, and it is also helps us in our weakness. (verse 26)
When the book of Romans was written the church of Jesus Christ was in its early stages. In Rome there were house churches, some of which were Jewish and some of which were Gentile, and the author of Romans is laying a theological ground work that will help them to see that they are all one in Jesus Christ. This change in the way of dealing with those who are different was likely the source of struggle for many of the believers in Rome. It flew in the face of how they had been raised and what they had been taught. The church was also existing within a context of the struggles that would be evident in day to day life. There would be economic struggles, health care issues, and political situations to be navigated. To those believers in Rome in the ancient world, and to those of us who follow Jesus today, we are told that the troubles that we experience are like labour pains that the whole of creation is experiencing.
People have a tendency to point to suffering as a result of a wrong doing, as something bad that has no purpose other than as a consequence of mistakes made. In this passage in Romans, we are given a different point of view of suffering where it is compared to labour pains. In this context suffering in part of the process that will lead to something better. This is not to say that we do not walk empathetically with those who are seriously ill or those who grieve, but it does give us another way to look at our own circumstances. If trouble is part of the process that will lead to something better, then we are able to see learning a new skill, or serious healthcare treatment, or working together to combat a pandemic, as process rather than punishment.
We are assured in all of the stories of the giving of the Holy Spirit that God has not left us alone. We walk with God in our lives, and we may always pray, and when we do not have the right words, the spirit makes intercession for us. (verse 26) As we prepare to celebrate Pentecost, we do so with the confidence that God is present in our lives, giving us hope and courage for each day.