聖靈的工作
羅馬書八章14至16節，26至27節
14因為凡被神的靈引導的，都是神的兒子。
15你們所受的不是奴僕的心，仍舊害怕；所受的乃是兒子的心，因此我們呼叫：“阿爸，父！”
16聖靈與我們的心同證我們是神的兒女；
26況且，我們的軟弱有聖靈幫助，我們本不曉得當怎樣禱告，只是聖靈親自用說不出來的歎息替我們禱告。
27鑒察人心的，曉得聖靈的意思，因為聖靈照著神的旨意替聖徒祈求。
信息分享
今天的經文詳列了祂的工作。第14節指出，聖靈會引導我們。16節告訴我們，聖靈印證我們是神的兒女。第26節指出，我們的軟弱會得到聖靈的幫助。我們常常不懂得應該怎樣禱告，這些時候，我們像小孩子一樣，急於講出自己的困難，卻苦於找不到合適的詞語。其他人可能不理解小孩子的困擾，但母親卻明白孩子的心意。聖靈豈不是這樣了解我們，替我們祈求嗎？
神對我們的看顧是何等無微不至！在我們屬靈生命的成長旅程中，我們的禱告生活往往是最軟弱的一環；但神卻預備了聖靈來隨時幫助我們。
你有這樣的困難，不曉得禱告要說甚麼或如何表達嗎？你是否常常都難以確定神的旨意？有些時候，我們甚至不自覺內心的需要。怎麼辦呢？有誰明白我們呢？聖靈可以。而且，祂還住在我們內心，隨時滿足我們的缺欠。
那麼，我們要做些甚麼呢？我們只要真誠祈禱，向神坦誠我們的需要，並信靠聖靈會替我們作餘下的工作。聖靈會將我們那些貧乏的言辭、我們的願望，甚至我們的疑惑，帶到父神的面前。祂親自替我們禱告（26節）。試想想，三位一體神的聖靈，向聖父談及我們每個人。我們還需要甚麼呢？父神愛我們；耶穌基督為我們受死；聖靈住在我們心裡。我們還能說甚麼呢？只能夠說：「感謝神賜給我們完備的救恩。我們的需要，你全都想到了。求你賜我一顆感恩之心，稱謝你為我所做的一切。」
牢記經文：「我們的軟弱有聖靈幫助。」（羅八26）
WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES?
Romans 8: 14-16 & 26-27
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us[b] with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Message
Notice all that He does according to our reading. In verse 14 we are led by the spirit. In verse 16 He assures us we are God's children. In verse 26 He helps us in our weakness regarding our praying. Often we do not know how to pray as we should. We are sometimes like a child who struggles to express himself but can't find the right words or sound. Often the child's mother can understand when no one else can. Is that what the Holy Spirit does for us?
What a wonderful provision and protection for us! Our prayer life is often the weakest part of our spiritual pilgrimage. But here we are told that the Holy Spirit is waiting to help us.
Do you sometimes have problems in praying and in knowing what to say or how to say it? Are you often uncertain about the will of God? Sometimes we are not even aware of our own deep needs. What is the answer? Who knows all these things? The Holy Spirit does. And He is our resident Divine Workman in our hearts to meet our deficiencies.
What do we have to do? Pray in our own way, confessing our needs, and trust Him to do the rest. He will take our poor words, our desires, even our doubts, sort them all out, and will present them to the Father. He does this Himself (v.26). Think of it, within the Eternal Trinity, the Holy Spirit talks to the Father about each of us. What more do we need? God the Father loves us. Jesus Christ died for us. The Holy Spirit lives within us. What can we say? “Thank you, God for our wonderfully complete salvation. You have thought of everything we might ever need. Help me to be more grateful than ever for all you have done.”
A VERSE FOR TODAY: “The Spirit helps us in our weakness.” (Romans 8:26)