https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260901dev.mp3
Listen to Devotion
For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed . . . the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
Romans 8:19,22
Creation Can’t Wait
Have you ever noticed how often the world reminds us that something isn’t right? Wildfires scorch forests. Tornadoes uproot trees. Droughts wither crops. Pretty soon, depending on where you live, the beauty of creation will fade with the changing seasons. Sometimes we speak of nature as though it is simply running its course. But the Bible tells us that creation is groaning.
It wasn’t always this way. When God completed his work of creation, he declared that everything was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). There was no death. No decay. No storms. No disease. The world reflected the perfection of its Creator. Then Adam and Eve sinned. When humanity fell, the curse reached far beyond Adam and Eve. God said, “Cursed is the ground because of you” (Genesis 3:17). Thorns and thistles appeared. Death entered. Since then, every hurricane, every broken body, every dying tree, and every cemetery has proclaimed the same truth: sin has affected everything.
Yet, there is hope. Creation is waiting for the day when Christ returns to reveal his children. The created world knows, in a way beyond our understanding, that its own freedom is tied to ours. When Jesus raises the dead and makes all things new, creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay. That means the groaning of creation is not the groan of despair but of eager expectation. Just as a mother experiences labor pains in anticipation of celebrating a new life, so does this world.
Therefore, we can look at natural disasters differently. We are not left without hope. Every time we see creation suffer, we are pointed to the One who is coming to restore it. When he does, the curse will be lifted, and we will enjoy a new creation forever. Therefore, with creation, we can’t wait.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when I see the brokenness of this world, remind me that you have already conquered sin, death, and the curse. Give me confidence to endure the groaning of this present age as I wait for the glory you have promised. Amen.
Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.