18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. 24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. 25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
Terrie's Comments:
All of creation was subject to God's curse because of man's sin. That is Everything God created in this earth... rocks, plants, animals, humans... all suffer. We are all on a path of death and decay.
Creation knows that there is something better coming. As a God follower we need to also ALWAYS be looking foward to this hope that we have in our eternal future. We need to keep our eyes fixed on the end not on our everyday stuff. Forever is such a short distance away we need to remember that.
I think the church has forgotten how to focus on our eternal home. If the Holy Spirit is just a foretaste of the future glory and we are promised freedom from sin and suffering with new glorified bodies that is something worth looking forward to... far better than any vacation or dreams we can plan here on earth!! I need to begin to focus and plan way more for my eternal home than this life here which is fleeting. I need to learn to wait patiently and confidently for all that has been promised!!
We are all spending eternity somewhere... which way does my life point? Where is my focus?
Tori's Comments:
Verse 19 is intriguing.
What does it mean by all creation? Is it referring to how there will be a new earth?
The Holy Spirit is supposed to be a taste of future glory. Whoa. I didn't know that. And yet He is rarely given much thought in my head.
I know I am hopeful and excited!!!
Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
I definitely need to keep a heavenly focus in the front of my mind. I think it would help put a lot of worldly things I stress over into perspective.
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