For many of us – protected by social infrastructures, pension pots, and insurance plans, strangers to mass disasters and two generations away from world wars – the COVID-19 pandemic has been a stark reminder of some forgotten truths. We have been reminded that we are fragile, flawed creatures, inhabiting a fractured, frightening creation, desperately in need of the faithful presence of our formidable Creator.
Since the shaking started in March, there have been many times due to personal family situations, listening to friends’ experiences, or trying to process the local, national, and global news, when I have only been able to pray as Paul describes in Romans 8:22 – 27:
“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies…In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”
Paul describes a trio of groaning as creation, persons and Spirit join in a harmonious holy utterance of heartfelt anguish directed towards God. Theologian Tom Wright suggests that the people of God have always been called to be “people of prayer at the place where the world is in pain”.
How does that resonate with you, your church, or where you are in these times?
"Tom Wright suggests that the people of God have always been called to be "people of prayer at the place where the world is in pain"."
What are the places of pain experienced by us and those around us at this time? Where are we and our communities hurting? This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it’s important to name some of what our communities are struggling with: bereavement under extraordinary circumstances, a tsunami of mental health issues and increase in suicide, unprecedented job loss and economic recession, extensive food poverty and empty cupboards, spikes in family and marital breakdown, shutdown of medical care, domestic violence, online child exploitation, abortion statistics soaring, social class division, not to mention the increasing hatred and divisions around Brexit and racial injustice.
How present are we among the community surrounding our church? How present are we with people in our neighbourhoods, workplaces, hospital waiting rooms, shopping lines? Are we close enough to others to hear their groans of pain? Are we close enough to share our own groaning?
How prayerful are we for and with people? Paul describes this groaning as a wordless prayer – too deep for words. In the absence of words, there is a relinquishing of human control and understanding, allowing our hearts to ache and break with pain in a way that can only be expressed in a gut wrenching cry.
In this place, we are weak. We do not know what to do, what to say, and we may not know how to pray. But one with the Spirit, we join with creation and direct our weak, wordless groans to the faithful Creator. And as we are united to Christ, indwelt by His Spirit, a child of the living God, caught up with the triune community, our groans are taken and translated into powerful praise and intense intercession according to God’s plan and purpose.
This trio of groaning (creation, persons, Spirit) is missional. As we groan with all creation, in the power of the Spirit, God’s people – church leaders, whole church communities, families, friends, and individuals – have an opportunity to become chaplains to those around us.
As chaplains, we offer ourselves in weakness, with our tears, our groans, our wordless prayers, to be powerfully, prayerfully present at the place of pain. We become the Spirit-filled presence of God in their pain. We join our own fragile humanity in our shared fractured creation. And we invite them to direct their groaning, too deep for words, to a faithful Creator.
Lord, have mercy.
"How present are we with people in our neighbourhoods, workplaces, hospital waiting rooms, shopping lines? Are we close enough to others to hear their groans of pain?"
