Tom Hayes

THE GOD WHO TALKS TO HIMSELF

Romans 8:26, 27, 34

Are you one of those individuals who finds yourself muttering things to yourself from time to time? Although "Private Speech," or the act of talking to oneself, has often been linked to inattentiveness and other developmental instabilities, psychologists now tell us that "Private Speech" is not an abnormality. In fact, many believe that "Private Speech" enables children to better control their behavior and master new skills.

Did you know that God talks to Himself? That's right! According to the Bible, the great Triune Being has conversations with Himself! The God of heaven and earth is a God of "Private Speech," and, it's not an abnormality in His personality. God the Father talks to God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. God the Son talks to God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. And, God the Holy Spirit talks to God the Father and God the Son.

What does God talk to Himself about? Well, we know that GOD TALKS TO HIMSELF ABOUT CREATION. In the very first chapter of the Bible, we read, "And God said, Let Us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Gen. 1:26). Because the angels had no part in the creative acts, we take the "Us" to be the great Three In One, the Trinity, the Triune God, the eternal Godhead!. The oft-repeated phrase, "And God said" (1:6, 8, 9, etc.), seems to indicate this as well.

Furthermore, GOD TALKS TO HIMSELF ABOUT CONDEMNATION, or judgment. When the Lord was preparing to judge Nimrod and his carnal following, He said, "Go to, let Us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech" (Gen. 11:7). The Lord was so involved in the execution of His wrath, He conversed with Himself about it. I wonder what He's saying about the sinful ways of our society.

In the key texts of this little meditation, we also learn that GOD TALKS TO HIMSELF ABOUT CHRISTIANS. He is so deeply concerned for His people that He prays to Himself for them. Twice, we are told that the Holy Spirit makes "intercession" for the saints (Rom. 8:26, 27). We are reminded, too, that Christ intercedes in our behalf (see Rom. 8:34). It's amazing that God would even think about us, isn't it? But, according to these verses, He is talking to Himself about us!

Why should you and I be concerned with these divine conversations? How does this relate to what we may be facing? In what ways does this benefit the saints in the modern scene? What can we learn by knowing that God talks to Himself about us? May the God Who talks to Himself talk to us as we consider three great benefits that grow out of this truth.

1. The Evidence Of Divine Acceptance

That God talks to Himself about us suggests that He is personally interested in us! We are very close to His heart! We are constantly on His mind! We are a vital part of His purposes. Sometimes, Satan tells us that God doesn't care about us and doesn't have a heart for us. But, He accepts us in His great love so much that He has conversations with Himself about us! First, we are made aware of:

A. The Blessing Of Acceptance

Actually, this should not surprise us, for throughout this special chapter, the way God feels about us is set forth again and again. Those for whom He is interceding are told, "There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (8:1). Again, we are referred to as "the sons of God" (8:14), and described as those who have been given "the Spirit of adoption" (8:15), Who "beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (8:16). Furthermore, we are made aware of:

B. The Bond Of Acceptance

It is further stated that "all things" are working for the "good" (8:28) of those for whom He prays. We are predestined, "called . . . justified" and "glorified" (8:30) in Christ. Hallelujah! With Paul, we say, "Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (8:38, 39).

2. The Excellence Of Divine Abundance

One of the greatest blessings of the Christian life is the privilege of prayer. How wonderful to bring our burdens to the Lord and help fellow believers bring their burdens to the throne of grace, as well. This passage, however, speaks of prayer on a higher level. We are introduced to the fullness of God in intercessory prayer! Here, God is doing the praying! Here, God is bringing our burdens to Himself! God talks to Himself about us and our burdens:

A. In The Person Of The Spirit

The first two references reveal this abundance, showing that God talks to Himself about us in the Person of God the Holy Spirit. From within the saints on earth, "the Spirit Itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (8:26). Again, we read: "He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God" (8:27). The word "intercession" means "to speak in another's behalf" and wonderfully portrays God as speaking to God in our behalf! God talks to Himself about us:

B. In The Person Of The Son

This fullness is also magnified in our third key-text, which points out that God talks to Himself about us in the Person of God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. From the Father's right hand in heaven, "Christ . . . also maketh intercession for us" (8:34). As He prayed for His Own in the great priestly prayer of John 17, so He prays for us now! And as He prays for us, although it is difficult to comprehend this vast provision, God is speaking to God in our behalf!

3. The Experience Of Divine Assistance

Putting all this together, we conclude that we are not left without divine assistance. The word "helpeth" (8:26), sunantilambanomai in the Greek, means "to lay hold along with, to take hold with another." We do not have to carry our burdens by ourselves. Whether God the Holy Spirit or God the Son is the channel of divine intercession, we can be confident that the Lord takes hold of the other end of the load! We see that:

A. His Assistance Involves our Weaknesses

The word "infirmities" (8:26) relates to all of our limitations. We don't even know what to pray for, or how to pray "as we ought" (8:26). Like Elijah, who prayed to die when it was not in God's purpose for him to die (see 1 Kings 19:4), we often pray unacceptable prayers. But, the prayers of God are always acceptable prayers. He knows exactly what we need! Thus, His prayers never come short, but always hit the mark! God's prayers go straight to God's heart! Again, we see that:

B. His Assistance Involves His Will

The phrase, "according to the will of God" (8:27), indicates, as should be expected, that the prayers of God are perfectly pure prayers. The will of God is the motivation of every divine conversation. When God talks to Himself about us, we can be sure that the design of the prayer is for the highest purpose. Because of our selfishness and impurity, our prayers must be filtered. His prayers, however, are as pure as He is, and issue out of His nature.

One day, as I passed by where my dad was working under an old car, I heard him talking to himself. Thinking I was being smart, I abruptly asked, "Who are you talking to?" Indicating that none of us ever heard what he said to us, he snapped back, "I'm talking to somebody who will listen to me!" We have established that God talks to Himself about us. Without question, He is talking to Somebody Who listens to Him. May our hearts be comforted with these precious truths. Amen.