Timeless

Here is a link to last week’s series on Romans 8.

“…But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day

when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.” 

Romans 8:20

We have all seen the staged reunions of soldiers returning home and surprising their loved ones unexpectedly. There are tears and hugs and great joy.

But the perspective is always the family welcoming home their loved one. And while that is a sweet, happy perspective—not to mention understandable—have you ever thought about it from the soldier’s point of view?

Consider how a returning serviceman or woman may feel about being away from home for long periods of time. They have to think about possible dangers to themselves or simply being in an unfriendly environment.

If it were you, consider all you would miss: children growing up and their “firsts,” the love and support of your spouse. For some, being away causes anxiety about money, family well-being, or missed opportunities.

Yet what we suffer now is nothing

compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.

Romans 8:18 NLT

Going home must be incredibly special for most of these soldiers. It’s returning to America and its freedoms, to daily life, and most importantly, to family. The happiness of soldiers coming home must bring such overwhelming joy!

For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day

when God will reveal who his children really are. 

Romans 8:19 NLT

So, think about this passage in Romans. The very first joy will be that of seeing our Savior, face to face. I cannot imagine how I will feel, but I know the best word to describe it will be overwhelming.

Just think. Looking straight into the eyes that sees each of us individually with the deepest of all loves. The unique, one-of-a-kind love that died to get me to this place, Heaven.

And then the joy of being held in His embrace, feeling His heartbeat and having Him kiss my cheek. I anticipate that day with great excitement.

Then we will see others whom we have loved and missed. We will meet heroes of the faith. We will live in the Light of God the Father, the Son and our Precious Holy Spirit. Not to mention finally seeing the splendor of Heaven itself. How awesome that day will be.

But for now, we can’t lose sight of the rest of this passage. Check out Romans 8:20-25. NLT

Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse.

But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day

when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.  

For we know that all creation has been groaning

as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 

And we believers also groan,

even though we have the Holy Spirit within us

…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,

including the new bodies he has promised us. 

We were given this hope when we were saved.

(If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it.  But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.