The great nevertheless of God

 

Reflection 23^rd May 2021 – Pentecost

As we celebrate Pentecost, and look back at the remarkable events that happened on that first Pentecost, many of us might wonder where is the Holy Spirit at work today? In fact we might even go so far as to think “Is the Holy Spirit at work today at all?”

If we have these thoughts, then the eighth chapter of Paul’s letter to the Romans gives us food for thought.

²² We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; ²³ and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies

Paul clearly feels that Christ’s return will be imminent and when this happens all will come right. But the return of Christ seems far less imminent now. And the very groans of creation Paul described continue in our time and perhaps even increase as pollution, overpopulation and inequitable distribution of food and resources continue. If we as believers were to put into words all the groans we have about the way we are dissatisfied with our broken world, it would be a long list. Any brief look at the news gives us plenty of examples – wars, oppression, drug and alcohol abuse, incurable diseases, Covid and so on and so on. It is nearly impossible to state all the problems we as people of faith see in the world around us. It is hardly surprising that we groan.

But Paul reminds us we have hope. We hope for what we have been promised in faith but as yet do not see.

²⁴ For in^[o] hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes^[p] for what is seen? Romans 8:24 NRSV

I think the Living Bible puts it well:

²⁴ We are saved by trusting. And trusting means looking forward to getting something we don’t yet have—for a man who already has something doesn’t need to hope and trust that he will get it. ²⁵ But if we must keep trusting God for something that hasn’t happened yet, it teaches us to wait patiently and confidently. Romans 8: 24 - 25

Paul reminds us that we need to keep praying. Prayer will help us keep perspective on the issues we are faced with in our own lives and in the wider world. Paul recognises that are prayers will be jumbled and inarticulate. And in fact, we may not know how or what to pray for. But Paul reminds us that if this is the case and if we feel completely overwhelmed then the Spirit is there to carry our burdens for us and to take our prayers to God for us.

²⁶ 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.

(By the way, Paul isn’t suggesting that this means we shouldn’t pray. Having the Holy Spirit pray instead of us is not what we should do. Rather the Holy Spirit is acting as an interpreter if you like, for when we cannot put our prayers into words.)

On the day of Pentecost, we are told the Holy Spirit was seen as tongues of flame and was heard in the sound of rushing wind and in the outpouring of speech in many languages. I suspect that were we to experience such physical manifestations of the Holy Spirit today we would be more encouraged and more hopeful (although equally we might be terrified!) But Paul reminds us that hope that is seen, is a limited kind of hope, for if we see it, it will be limited to what we can now comprehend. Whereas there is something far greater in store for us.

As I’ve said the world is full of things that cause us to be concerned. There are things we long for and things that cause concern too deep for words. Nonetheless there is hope. The Holy Spirit is at work even in the most hopeless of situations.

In his book With God in the crucible: preaching costly discipleship Revd Peter Storey writes of a time when he was serving as a bishop in he South African Methodist Church during the time of apartheid. He calls what he experienced then the great nevertheless of God.

Even while surrounded by a repressive regime, Storey knew the Holy Spirit was at work. The government had all the power and used force to stop even peaceful protest. Nevertheless, Storey along with Desmond Tutu led the black South Africans in a peaceful revolution. The odds were stacked against a peaceful revolution nevertheless with God on their side they were victorious. Even after victory there was a strong temptation to retaliate for what had happened, nevertheless God gave a means of forgiving enemies and forming a reconciled nation.

Storey realised that no matter what the odds, if God is in something through the Holy Spirit, nothing can stop the great nevertheless of God.

This is what Paul is trying to explain. We may live in difficult times nevertheless God is guiding creation through the pains to a future of promise and fulfilment. We do not see hope we can cling on to; nevertheless, it is hope that saves us and for which we are given patience to endure. The Spirit is not always as visibly active in the Church as we might desire. Nevertheless, the Spirit is attentive to our pleading. We may not know what God has in store for us; nevertheless, the Spirit knows the mind of God and leads us on. In hope.

Come, Holy Spirit, come!