Thought for January 30th. “WE WAIT EAGERLY FOR”

Paul’s letter to the Romans contains some of the most meaningful and thought provoking words in Scripture. It is extremely challenging to read it and embrace all its’ points in our minds.  Maybe, more than any other book in the Bible, this book calls for our diligent and meditative study.  But this is the challenge of the whole Bible, it is not at all like a school text book that you go through in a year’s study and then leave on the shelf for occasional reference.  God’s word is designed by him for our lifelong reading and reflection. Paul had been brought up under the Law of Moses with all its rules and regulations.  He had been zealous for the Law, but, as a result of his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, he had, with God’s help through the Spirit, applied his mind to the new reality of eternal things – especially – to a personal relationship to his Saviour.The Law of Moses was a Law for Israel as a nation. This Law had been superseded by a situation in which each individual needed to develop a personal relationship with their Saviour the Lord Jesus and with his Father – and through him – is now ‘Our Father.’   Paul writes, “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 …” [8 v.18,19]  This sense of eagerness is felt by all those who see the emptiness in so much of what people enjoy today:  But it is all “creation” that waits for the removal of the curse imposed in Eden.  We learn in Genesis how God said to Adam “cursed is the ground because of you” [Gen. 3 v.17]  Paul goes on to say we “groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons (& daughters), the redemption of our bodies” [v.23]   How true is the word eagerly – especially as we grow older and our minds and bodies feel the effects.   Those who find this life satisfying and enjoyable will not genuinely “wait eagerly” for that which is going to replace it. But for many in the world this life offers little that is enjoyable – so they are often in a far more spiritually acceptable frame of mind before God. Finally, let us all read carefully and prayerfully the last 8 verses (31-39) of Romans ch 8.