Tag Archives: Groaning

ROMANS…THE GROANING – 16a

Bible Study, ,

“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭18‬-‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God’s salvation, however, is not only about humans. It includes all of creation. When Adam fell, he dragged the whole universe into the consequences of his disobedience. God’s plan to rescue humanity included the restoration of His entire creation to its original beauty and purpose. 

So, Paul’s says, creation is groaning…writhing in pain like a woman in labour…waiting for the birth of something new. This truth is all too obvious in the natural disasters that are increasing in frequency and intensity. It seems that the birth of the new order is imminent. The natural world is joining with us in the birth pangs that herald the final part of God’s plan. 

How will creation know when this is happening? They are watching for “the manifestation of the sons of God”. God’s children, at present, are hidden like “wheat”among the “weeds”, as Jesus’ parable explains. 

“Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’ “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. “‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked. “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13‬:‭24‬-‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

John also confirmed…

“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There is something going on in the world that creation knows but the people in the world don’t recognise…God is preparing His people for the great “reveal”! At present, we are hidden from view. We are being prepared, as a bride, for her wedding day. Creation in all its beauty and perfection, will be the “venue” of the wedding ceremony, celebrating the marriage of Jesus and His church. 

Paul has already explained the preparation process…holy through suffering! For the believer, suffering is not a mystery to be explored and understood but a truth to be embraced. Every child of God must endure the pruning to bear the fruit that will adorn the brides’s wedding gown. 

“Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder: “Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.” For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭19‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Suffering is not pleasant but it is necessary and transient.  

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Look what suffering will produce if we suffer as Jesus did…

“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Put suffering and glory on the scale. Jesus’ glory is so weighty that the scale will immediately drop on His side. Our trials are so light by comparison that they can never outweigh the glory of God which is eternal. 

So, Paul says, creation is groaning and waiting…and the evidence is real…and we are also groaning and waiting… The final chapter of God’s glorious plan is in its way…

““Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.””

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭22‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

To be continued

PRAYING GOD’S WAY – 5a

Prayer, ,

THE ADVOCATE WITHIN

‭John 14:26 NLT‬
[26] “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”

‭Romans 8:26-27 NLT‬
[26] “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. [27] And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.”

Before we examine some of the examples of praying God’s way in the New Testament, we must complete our pursuit of the role each member of the Trinity plays in our partnership in the administration of God’s kingdom.

Not only do we have an Advocate who represents us to the Father, Jesus, but we also have an Advocate within us, the Holy Spirit, who represents Jesus, our Advocate to us and who represents our faulty prayers to the Father. Can anything be more watertight than this!

Think of it, we come to the Father at His invitation because He has held out the golden sceptre to us. We approach Him through His appointed mediator, Jesus the Son, who offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sin according to the Father’s will, AND we have the Holy Spirit in us who understands our weakness and our groans and, who filters, refines, and presents our prayers to the Father in harmony with His will.

What could be more secure than that!

If the three persons of the Trinity are so intimately involved in our praying, then God must regard prayer as a most significant part of our lives here on earth.

He did not intend prayer to be the low purpose for which we often use prayer, a safety valve for our stresses or a means to get what we want or need. God intends prayer to be His way of including us in His reign on earth.

He created humans to manage the earth with Him, to rule over nature and its creatures.

‭Genesis 1:26 NLT‬
[26]”Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

Despite human rebellion, He has never indicated in His Word that He has revoked this purpose. Not only were we created to manage the earth, but He has also included in His plan our participation with Jesus in the administration of His kingdom.

‭Daniel 7:13-14, 27 NLT‬
[13] “As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. [14] He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed….
[27] Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him.”

‭Revelation 20:6 NLT‬
[6] “Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years.”

What this reign means for us in eternity, we have yet to discover. However, the Bible makes clear that reigning with Jesus in this life means subduing and putting to death our unruly old nature by His grace and through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.

‭Romans 5:17 NIV‬
[17] “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!”

‭Romans 8:12-14 NLT‬
[12]” Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. [13] For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. [14] For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”

Since God requires us to share in His holiness, it seems clear, then, that our rule over unruly hearts is the first preparation for sharing with Jesus in His reign over His kingdom.

To be continued…