We've waited together, carried his light, remembered that he is with us, and now it's time to push! It's not a traditional advent reading, but since we're not told anything about Mary's labour, we're throwing in a curve ball Scripture from Romans 8. Paul starts by reminding us that '…our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us'. This is how we labour well. We fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen, as it says in Romans 8:23b. 'We groan inwardly as we wait eagerly'. What's more, we're not alone on delivery suite; next door, creation 'waits in eager expectation' too and 'has been groaning as in the pains of child-birth'. (verse 22) Waiting for the perfect work of God. And. Can you hear him? In between our panting and deep breathing? The Spirit of God himself groans along with us! verse 26 says '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.'

I don't know if your staff room is anything like mine. But I hear more outward moaning amongst my colleagues than inward groanings in prayer. As believers, we're invited to cry out to God. Sometimes our desperate longing for justice, for healing, salvation, and redemption can't be expressed in words. We can't articulate it. We just feel it in our guts. And a hum of prayer comes out of us. This passage in Romans is an encouragement to us to keep going! Don't tire of groaning. You're joining a cacophony of groans. And thankfully we're not the only ones who've been praying for midwives this Advent. The Spirit of God himself intercedes for us too.

Please join with me in praying:

How long, Oh Lord?
We groan inwardly and wait eagerly for your coming.
Thank you that you help us in our weakness
And you groan with us in intercession for us.

Amen