Romans 8:19-22 (NIV): The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
There is a subtle gnosticism that has infiltrated the Church: a tendency to divide things into the physical (coarse matter – unredeemable), and the spiritual (fine matter – redeemable). Most of the God’s people have given up totally on the earth. They consider it too evil and broken to be fixed to any degree, and only wait for their spiritual redemption, and its physical destruction. But the earth, even though it will ultimately be destroyed and remade, CAN be made better in the meantime. The earth was originally cursed after the fall. Adam, who was made from the earth, and who had been given authority over it, sinned with a high hand, separated himself from God spiritually, and broke his own soul. As a reflection of that brokenness, the earth from which he had been taken became broken as well. God’s promise to the Israelites was that, as they were faithful to God and His covenant, and as He repaired the brokenness of their souls, the land would reflect that renewed life and health by producing abundant crops, by their herds and flocks and people never miscarrying, and by providing real abundance. But the Israelites never got to experience that to any great degree, because they were almost immediately unfaithful! But, as Paul pointed out, all of creation is eagerly waiting for God’s true children to appear, because as He repairs the hearts and souls of people, and as they obey Him fully, God can liberate all of creation from its bondage to decay, and can bless the earth again with real wholeness and abundance.
Father, this is a great promise! Help us to fully live for You so that we can experience this wholeness and health of our land for ourselves, and so that it can be a testimony to the whole world of Your love. Amen.
Today's Scripture 