We Wait….Patiently
18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that[i] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. -Romans 8:18-27
We all know the great verse, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” It is a wonderful promise of God to us that if we have faith in Him and believe that He sent His Son to save us from our sins, we will live with Him forever with glory in heaven. The title of the section of scripture we read is “Future Glory,” that is the glory we will have in heaven after our death or after Jesus Christ comes again. It says in Matthew 25:13-34, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” We can delight in the fact that with faith we will see the glory of the kingdom prepared for us.
Verse 18 says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” We can only imagine the magnificence heaven will be, we can only now rely on the word “glory” to provide us with some sort of idea of what heaven will be like, but as this verse says, it is incomparable to our life here on earth. Verse 19 then uses some very interesting words, “eager expectation.” I don’t know about you all, but I cannot wait to see heaven. That may sound morbid, but I don’t think so. I don’t want to die, that is not what I’m saying, what I’m saying is I am very excited to see the glory revealed to me and to all the earth of Christ’s return.
Here are some words of a prayer that I like a lot: Come Lord Jesus quickly, many of us are waiting and none of us will be disappointed.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins tells us that we are to be ready for Christ’s coming, that is to have faith, and we are to watch because no one on Earth knows the day or the hour of when Jesus will return and it will come like a thief in the night, but sometimes I like to think that God will consider listening to me. Like the words of the prayer that I recited, I often like to ask Jesus to come quickly, but it sometimes turns into less of a request and more like a demand. I find myself often saying something to the effect of, “Jesus Come NOW!!!” Capital letters, Italicized, Exclamation point exclamation point, exclamation point.
This brings us to another point, we must have patience. Patience is a little something that people in our very demanding society lack. We expect things to happen quickly, immediately, and on our time. Fast Food was invented for the impatient. Some people find it outrageous to wait 20 minutes for their food when they can get it in 3 minutes. We are not a patient society. I am not a patient person. I often say, “Patience is a virtue of which I do not possess.” That is also why I say, “Jesus come NOW!!!” It’s bad enough I am so demanding, but instead of saying something like quickly, soon, or something that leaves it up to God’s discretion, I say NOW.
We have reason to desire Jesus’ return. We have the faith. We have the expectation. We have the hope. Verses 24 and 25 say, “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” People who don’t believe in Jesus, or those who have never heard of Jesus may hope for deliverance, something to free them from their sufferings. We who know and believe in Jesus have the comfort in our salvation and the expectation of our future glory. We can share that comfort and the expectation with those who do not know it yet, so they can hope for what we hope for, to see Christ part the clouds and return to earth to bring us to the home He has prepared for us.
I hope you heard the very important word and phrase from the last part of verse 25, let me say it again, “we wait for it patiently.” There is the key word, patiently. I have to admit, it is very difficult for me. I’ve had this problem of trying to convince Jesus to come on my schedule, when I want Him to, when I think He should, instead of just letting Him take care of it. The Father knows when it will be time to send His Son again, that time with much more glory and honor than the first time. There is nothing wrong with hoping for the time to come, but Paul, the letter’s author, tells us that we are to do it patiently. How wonderful that day will be, it has been prophesied about for thousands of years, but we still must wait, patiently.
The day will come when we will be able to fall before the throne and worship God, three-in-one. Jesus is coming again, He has given us that promise. Revelation 22:7a says, “Behold, I am coming soon!” It says it again in verse 12, and then finally in verse 20, Jesus says “Yes, I am coming soon.” And we can say as John the Revelator wrote: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
In Christ,
Adam
22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. -Romans 8:18-27
We all know the great verse, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” It is a wonderful promise of God to us that if we have faith in Him and believe that He sent His Son to save us from our sins, we will live with Him forever with glory in heaven. The title of the section of scripture we read is “Future Glory,” that is the glory we will have in heaven after our death or after Jesus Christ comes again. It says in Matthew 25:13-34, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” We can delight in the fact that with faith we will see the glory of the kingdom prepared for us.
Verse 18 says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” We can only imagine the magnificence heaven will be, we can only now rely on the word “glory” to provide us with some sort of idea of what heaven will be like, but as this verse says, it is incomparable to our life here on earth. Verse 19 then uses some very interesting words, “eager expectation.” I don’t know about you all, but I cannot wait to see heaven. That may sound morbid, but I don’t think so. I don’t want to die, that is not what I’m saying, what I’m saying is I am very excited to see the glory revealed to me and to all the earth of Christ’s return.
Here are some words of a prayer that I like a lot: Come Lord Jesus quickly, many of us are waiting and none of us will be disappointed.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins tells us that we are to be ready for Christ’s coming, that is to have faith, and we are to watch because no one on Earth knows the day or the hour of when Jesus will return and it will come like a thief in the night, but sometimes I like to think that God will consider listening to me. Like the words of the prayer that I recited, I often like to ask Jesus to come quickly, but it sometimes turns into less of a request and more like a demand. I find myself often saying something to the effect of, “Jesus Come NOW!!!” Capital letters, Italicized, Exclamation point exclamation point, exclamation point.
This brings us to another point, we must have patience. Patience is a little something that people in our very demanding society lack. We expect things to happen quickly, immediately, and on our time. Fast Food was invented for the impatient. Some people find it outrageous to wait 20 minutes for their food when they can get it in 3 minutes. We are not a patient society. I am not a patient person. I often say, “Patience is a virtue of which I do not possess.” That is also why I say, “Jesus come NOW!!!” It’s bad enough I am so demanding, but instead of saying something like quickly, soon, or something that leaves it up to God’s discretion, I say NOW.
We have reason to desire Jesus’ return. We have the faith. We have the expectation. We have the hope. Verses 24 and 25 say, “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” People who don’t believe in Jesus, or those who have never heard of Jesus may hope for deliverance, something to free them from their sufferings. We who know and believe in Jesus have the comfort in our salvation and the expectation of our future glory. We can share that comfort and the expectation with those who do not know it yet, so they can hope for what we hope for, to see Christ part the clouds and return to earth to bring us to the home He has prepared for us.
I hope you heard the very important word and phrase from the last part of verse 25, let me say it again, “we wait for it patiently.” There is the key word, patiently. I have to admit, it is very difficult for me. I’ve had this problem of trying to convince Jesus to come on my schedule, when I want Him to, when I think He should, instead of just letting Him take care of it. The Father knows when it will be time to send His Son again, that time with much more glory and honor than the first time. There is nothing wrong with hoping for the time to come, but Paul, the letter’s author, tells us that we are to do it patiently. How wonderful that day will be, it has been prophesied about for thousands of years, but we still must wait, patiently.
The day will come when we will be able to fall before the throne and worship God, three-in-one. Jesus is coming again, He has given us that promise. Revelation 22:7a says, “Behold, I am coming soon!” It says it again in verse 12, and then finally in verse 20, Jesus says “Yes, I am coming soon.” And we can say as John the Revelator wrote: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
In Christ,
Adam
posted by Adam | 6:34 PM
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