All Creation is Longing
Life and death. I've mentioned many times before that any more I seem to be acutely aware of Life and Death issues all around me.
On one hand, we rejoice at life. My college friend Tricia announced this week that she's pregnant with her first baby. I'm truly am happy for her and her husband Nate.
On the other hand, some are facing not-so-great news. My brother Brett and his wife Natasha are expecting their third child. I shared that before here, as well as my reaction to that news But last week they found out that their baby has Spina Bifida. This news has led to a crazy emotional roller-coaster, as well as a flurry of information-gathering, phone calls, and prayers.
A friend of mine recently encouraged me with this online sermon from Pastor John Piper focused on Romans 8. I was reminded that "all of creation is groaning" and longing and waiting in expectation for God to make things right. Our bodies fail us. Our planet fails us. Death is a part of life... for now. All of us - people, animals, creation - are groaning as we wait for that day, for perfection and completion to come. Oh, how we long for that day of redemption! How glorious is will be to no longer be enslaved to sin, to the curse.
And so we press on, even as we groan and long for what is to come. We pray for a taste of that perfection here on earth, but we know that ultimately it will only be ours when we pass from this life to the next. We live in hope, in joyful expectation for complete redemption.
1 comments:
How true. Suffering is a reminder that eternity awaits. I suppose for that we can be thankful for it. Praying for you still.
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