EVERYONE IS WAITING

Rom.8:19-21 – For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children 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 freedom and glory of the children of God.

I love my morning walks. Recently Parris and I were walking on the lakefront and I couldn’t help noticing creation in an obvious state of waiting. I saw the Heron waiting at his post anticipating
breakfast and his brand new day. The osprey was also sitting like a watchman, observing the awakening of the new morning all around him. The fishermen were there, waiting for their morning catch. The fish were also involved leaping in anticipation as their day began to unfold. As we walked away from the lake and made our way toward our house we saw a cemetery, filled with people from days gone by. They were also waiting, waiting for the glorious new day just ahead. Here is a quote about this joyful anticipation of creation from Barclay on today’s passage.

“In verse 19, he uses a wonderful word for eager expectation. It is apokaradokia, and it describes the stance of someone who scans the horizon with head thrust forward, eagerly searching the distance for the first signs of the dawn breaking – the daybreak of glory. To Paul, life was not a weary, defeated waiting; it was a throbbing, vivid expectation. Christians are involved in the human situation. Within, they must battle with their own evil human nature; without, they must live in a world of death and decay. Nonetheless, Christians do not live only in the world; they also live in Christ. They do not see only the world; they look beyond it to God. They do not see only the consequences of human sin; they see the power of God’s mercy and love. Therefore, the keynote of the Christian life is always hope and never despair. Christians wait not for death but for life.”

I noticed the sun breaking over the tree line just behind the osprey this morning. The sunrise was also a declaration, it was saying, “the dawning of God’s new day is upon us”, the first rays of God’s glorious day are breaking over the horizon. Sadly, we are far too often unaware of the prophetic reality all around us. The new day of the Lord is certain, creation is calling for it. Take a moment today and look around, maybe you can join the rest of creation in your joyful anticipation.