'The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with
groanings which cannot be uttered.'--ROMANS viii. 26.
Pentecost was a transitory sign of a perpetual gift. The tongues of
fire and the rushing mighty wind, which were at first the most
conspicuous results of the gifts of the Spirit, tongues, and
prophecies, and gifts of healing, which were to the early Church
itself and to onlookers palpable demonstrations of an indwelling
power, were little more lasting than the fire and the wind. Does
anything remain? This whole great chapter is Paul's triumphant answer
to such a question. The Spirit of God dwells in every believer as the
source of his true life, is for him 'the Spirit of adoption' and
witnesses with his spirit that he is a child of God, and a joint-heir
with Christ. Not only does that Spirit co-operate with the human
spirit in this witness-bearing, but the verse, of which our text is a
part, points to another form of co-operation: for the word rendered
in the earlier part of the verse 'helpeth' in the original suggests
more distinctly that the Spirit of God in His intercession for us
works in association with us.