Over and over in these chapters Paul reminds the Church in Rome that God has not and will not ever reject His promise to the Israelites.

In the political landscape, well, does anyone really trust our leaders – no matter their party affiliation?

For those who believe in God, however, and not just a god, but the God who has revealed Himself to be Love, then suffering, pain, injustice and the rest can become very problematic indeed. Nobody asks more questions of God about suffering than Scripture.

Paul is pretty straightforward here: we do not know how to pray as we ought. Apparently, we are wrong about many of the things we beg of God in prayer – things which seem pretty obvious to us that He should do or grant.