groaning in hope

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Today Paul writes that we aren't meant to be God's slaves who obey out of fear. Instead we are God's children who seek to do God's will out of love. When we open our spirits in prayer to God, the Holy Spirit living inside us joins in our prayer calling out to our Father in heaven.

As things are now, being children of God is hard because we also feel a separation from God. We are separated because the world we live in is still in rebellion against God, even though we have come to rely on God. The world itself feels that separation too, Paul says. The land and seas are torn up not only by the pollution our sinful greed pours out, but also by the fact that our separation from God brings the world with it. One day our separation from God will be healed. Until then we, who know we are God's children, groan as we wait for the full reconciliation of the world with God. The Spirit strengthens us to wait with hope.

God bless,
Sam

Romans 8:14-25

14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.


18I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; 20for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.


22We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.