Romans 8:26-39

Pentecost + 6 - Year A

Romans 8:26-39

Let's see - we "pray", not knowing what we are doing, and so some "Spirit" senses what we don't know and groans. However this Spirit also isn't up to "praying". Result, some G*D we may have intended to be praying too, reads the mind/spirit/heart of a Spirit to find out what we had intended to pray for without knowing it the half of it.

This seems like a full-employment process that needs everyone to not do what they might so a hands-on G*D can continue to be needed. It helps, of course, that this G*D can also be efficient in only paying attention to those attempting prayer who had been preselected - talk about your non-double-blind study!

So what are we to say about these things. Hooray for us, if G*D is for us. Boo to us, if G*D is against us. Are you among the elected, chosen, elite who are going to get everything because you are the teacher's pet? Are you going to be fired from your job as creature?

I very much appreciate the assurance that is available with this passage. In the same way, I appreciate the assurance behind Revelations - hang in there when things are tough.

I very much don't appreciate the partiality and limitation of said assurance.

Historically, this is one of my favorite passages. I've needed its assurance that even my difficulty won't keep G*D from loving me - of course I've needed to overlook the possibility that I am not of the elect and am therefore out luck and any assurance I thought I had was for naught.

These favorites need more looking at than not. A gift of assurance is probably not one that can be taken back and can trump any attempt at dismissal through control or confusion even by G*D (though G*D's "representatives" in this world often give it a good try).