Scripture
The Future Glory
18Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,[1] including the new bodies he has promised us. 24We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope[2] for it. 25But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
26And 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. 27And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[3] in harmony with God’s own will. 28And we know that God causes everything to work together[4] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn[5] among many brothers and sisters. 30And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
Translation notes (5)
- 8:23 Greek wait anxiously for sonship.
- 8:24 Some manuscripts read wait.
- 8:27 Greek for God’s holy people.
- 8:28 Some manuscripts read And we know that everything works together.
- 8:29 Or would be supreme.
"For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering."
When natural disasters happen in this world, when conflict occurs among friends and family members, and when sickness occurs, many of us want to find someone or something to blame. We blame other people and even God when heartache occurs because of these painful things. All of these things directly result from sin that invaded the world. Not one thing or person was left untouched when sin entered the world. The entire world feels the impact of sin. At the same time, the entire world eagerly anticipates the day that God will set things right.
The apostle Paul explains in Romans 8 that sin has impacted everything in this world. He writes, "All creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time" (verse 22). Paul is explaining here that creation feels the effects of sin. When earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters occur, creation feels the effects of sin, which has caused all these things. Not only does creation feel the impact, but people do as well. Paul wrote, "We believers also groan… for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering" (verse 23). We, too, feel the effects of sin every day. When we face heartache, sickness, loss, and so much more, we are reminded that things are not as they were supposed to be. I think even people who are far from Christ feel these impacts, too. The world is full of reminders of what was lost in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned.
Although the devastating effects of sin impact everything, we are certainly not without hope. That is why Paul continued writing in Romans 8, "We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as His adopted children, including the new bodies He has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved" (verses 23-24). Paul reminds believers in this passage of Scripture that one day, Jesus will return, and our bodies will be brand new. He will also make everything else new. He will restore what was lost in Eden. What a beautiful day that will be!
Moving toward action
Memorize Romans 8:22. Let this verse be a reminder that all creation eagerly awaits Jesus' return. Let it remind you that everyone and everything in the world is waiting for Jesus to return and set things right. Let this reminder spur you on to have intentional conversations with people far from Christ about the hope that can be found in Him and the difference He made in your life and wants to make in their lives, too.
Going Deeper
Romans 8:18-30 (NLT)
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