Mary's Favorite - Pt 4

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).

You may recall that we began to explore the “hope” of the believer yesterday (cf. Ephesians 1:18). The apostle describes this hope for us in a little more detail in our reading today. The Grand Canyon is one of the most impressive places in the United States to visit. It is also an incredible visual illustration of what Paul means when he uses the phrase, "the bondage to decay. " He is using a 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. Later Paul will reference “the redemption of our bodies” (cf. Romans 8:22-25). This is the hope these believers entertained in their minds. They knew it academically. They knew a day was coming when their bodies would be redeemed and transformed, not an uncertain dream or a faint possibility, but a guaranteed certainty. 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. It is important too as we read the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians he lists some of what he calls "our light and momentary troubles" that he himself had endured: beaten with rods three times; thirty-nine lashes from a whip five times; shipwrecked three times; a night and a day adrift at sea; stoned and left for dead; danger on sea and land; danger from false brethren; sleeplessness; hunger and thirst; and more. All this he gathers up in the phrase "our light and momentary troubles." All of these things, he says, work in our favor, preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. 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.