Following on from Sunday’s sermon about the beauty and perfection of the original creation, we looked last night at how sin has marred that creation and what God is doing about the problem!
“For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed,” Romans 8:19 tells us. Creation is ‘groaning as in the pains of childbirth'(Rom 8:22). God cursed creation as a result of man’s sin (Genesis 3:14-19)and the effects of that curse are seen everywhere in nature and in our own lives. We too are groaning (Rom 8:23) as we wait. There’s this constant tension between the blessings we have now and the suffering we face and the hope that is ahead of us. Paul reminds us in these verses that hope that is seen is no hope at all; we have to learn to wait patiently for what we don’t yet have or don’t yet see.
There has to be balance between looking ahead and living now; Christians are sometimes accused of ‘being so heavenly minded that they’re no earthly good’. As Peter and John remind us, the future hope we have should mould how we live now (2 Pet 3:11-14, 1 John 3:1-3). The firstfruits of the Spirit (reminiscent of the Feast of Weeks and the power of the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost) give us hope that God is working all things out for good (Rom 8:28) and that one day He will re-create (Is 65:17, 2 Pet 3:13, Rev 21:1).
Romans 8:28 is one of the most famous verses in the Bible and a tremendous encouragement to all who suffer. God is working all things together for good. He is working for the good of those who love Him. However we translate these verses, the truth remains that God is able to bring good out of evil, to redeem suffering, to bring justice to all who have suffered injustice. May we learn to trust Him and hope in Him through every experience of life.
(Below is a link to the Jeremy Camp song ‘The Way’ which starts by looking at this very passage:
“All creation cries out with longing
With groans only You can comprehend
And with wisdom, You always answer
And give the words of life
So unfailing”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q6o4sbndVE)