Eager and Patient

 DEVOTION

THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS

EAGER AND PATIENT

Rom 8:18-25

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

NIV

It does not seem that we are suffering much at all. However, we wonder if living in the mortal form is suffering in some sense. Certainly, our lives in this present world are much different than the lives of those who lived in the time of Paul. Jesus had already been born in the form of man and lived as a carpenter until it was time to begin his public ministry. Once he revealed himself to man, he was called by John the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He healed, taught, and even raised a few from the dead, but then it was his time to be the Lamb and he was slaughtered on that cross, shedding his blood so we could have the forgiveness of sin. But he was raised from the dead and ascended back into heaven to be our advocate before the Father. Paul’s life was much different than ours, and he received some very harsh treatment at times. Yet, everything was still fresh and new, and the excitement of their bodies' pending resurrection was their hope that it would happen soon. But any suffering in this human form cannot ever even come close to being worthy of a comparison of the glory that is to come. The question which looms before us is whether we are eager or waiting patiently for new creation when we will be in the glory of God. Although, in some sense, we are in his glory now as He dwells within us. Still, we do not know how the full glory of God will come into our lives. We might think that we have a little more of a picture of the glory of God than Paul did, for at his time, John had not received the revelation of Jesus Christ, in all his glory. Still, we have a sense of eagerness for that which we do not fully comprehend, for we are looking through foggy lenses and yet we are still filled with hope that our eyes will see clearly. However, do we groan with creation, are we groaning, being tired of this situation and eagerly anticipating our resurrection that must come after our tired bodies are laid to rest? Are we eager for that time of our last breath, so that we can be with Jesus? At the same time are we waiting patiently with this hope? We know that God knows the time frame of our lives. He knew the minute we would be born and the very moment we would die. Nevertheless, we wait both eagerly and with patience.