Romans 8:19-22 (ESV)
19
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
20
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
21
that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22
For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
Yesterday, our little Jack Russell Terrier died. She got up, went outside and just couldn't make it back in. Evidently, the tumor around her liver bled out. We knew it was coming but we just didn't expect it to be so sudden. She had gone to the beach the day before and had a good time walking. The next day she is gone.
She had been our little dog for over thirteen years. It was hard letting her go. We took her to the vet knowing that this would be her last trip. We petted her as she passed away.
It made me think of the corruption of all creation in which death with its tumors, tornadoes, diseases and other tragedies. Creation wasn't intended to be like this. It has a glorious purpose. Any serious look at it reveals that there is purpose embedded within it. A simple look at birds will make anyone realize the purpose of feathers. A look at the eye will make anyone realize the purpose of sight. All of creation has a purpose. It, like us, was created for God's glory.
I don't believe for a moment that creation has a mind which understands this purpose. I don't think my little dog longed for the day when the sons of God will be revealed. I do believe that the purpose for which creation was created reveals a longing to be restored to the purpose of creation. I believe that we will someday see the full glory of God's creation when that happens.
Yesterday made me long for it. I know I should have been longing for it all along but losing a part of creation that you love awakens you to this longing again.
1 comment:
This text speaks about The Fall not only affected Man, but the whole of creation; corruption begun to set in. And this text speaks of The Hope. What is this Hope? This is the salvation hope; the hope of eternal life in Heaven, the hope of eventual glorification, the end-goal of salvation. And so, this text also is important, in that it speaks about salvation is NOT once saved always saved. In fact, this text, starting one verse earlier, v18, was the starting point of the Apostle Paul's explanation that salvation is a process and a journey. Those who read the preceding entry of Ps Prentis on the riding out of crisis should realize that a believer can expect to face troubles, trials, afflictions, crisis, and persecutions. In fact, The Apostle Paul, in v18, said that all of our present sufferings are not worthy to be compared to the all surpassing glory that would be revealed to us.
When we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour, that is just the beginning, that is just the entry into salvation. Paul, in Phil 2:12, wrote about we having to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. It is NOT there is nothing to work on, and that, on entry into salvation, our fate is concluded. If we read on, Paul went on to speak about a hope is no longer a hope, if we already have it; no one hope what he already have received. Paul said we have to wait for this hope of salvation, patiently. In the text, the creation's eager wait for the "freedom and glory of the children of God" is referring to creation's eager wait for the end-point of salvation process, which Paul explained in the subsequent verses to the text, and that end-point is the glorification of us, children of God; this definitely is NOT had yet when we are still living in this mortal body.
Well, we too, are part of creation, and we too, long for that eventual glorification (v23). While we wait, 3 points to bear in mind:
1. We may share in the Lord's suffering, in order that we may share in His glorification (v17) that we too, be glorified;
2. We have to wait for it patiently (v25);
3. We need to work out our salvation (Phil 2:12); working with the Lord.
Anthony Chia, high.expressions
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