Riches in Gory - Pt 2

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:18-21 ESV).

In the reading yesterday the Apostle Paul prays that his readers would know the hope of God (cf. Ephesians 1:15-17). The word hope is part of the great triad found in the Scriptures: "faith, hope and love." Hope always concerns the future. The Ephesians were in danger of losing their hope for the future. Many of us know that feeling. We all await the return of the Lord, but we don't really get very excited about it. The hope of the believer is described for us further in our reading today. The phrase, "the bondage to decay," is an accurate description of what scientists call the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the law of entropy, the scientific principle which states that everything in the universe is running down. Science and Scripture agree that the universe was once wound up, but that it is now decaying. When Paul talks about "the bondage to decay," he includes not only the natural world, with its constant decay, but the human body as well. It is this truth that Paul uses as a springboard to describe the incredible riches we have been given with our guarantee of eternal life. However, It’s easy to ask how that future hope helps us now. The answer is that our future hope is being worked out in the here and now. Our hope will not only be realized in the resurrection at the end of the age. Our hope is being realized right now, as we are gradually, almost imperceptibly being transformed into new creations in Christ. That flat tire you had yesterday which upset you is working for you, preparing you to handle pressure, teaching you about patience, building Christ-like character. All those problems you face are giving you the opportunity to exercise the power of Christ that is available to you. The lost wallet, the missed appointment, the argument with your spouse, the arthritis in your shoulder, the diagnosis you just received, the business failure you just suffered, the heart-breaking loss of a loved one, all of these are working together for your good and for your growth. God knows how to bring His good out of everything we experience in life. None of it is a surprise and all of it has already been planned for to bring us good! If you learn to look at life that way, you will never lose the hope of your calling in Christ. And that is the first of the great riches we have been given!