Daily Devotion – April 30, 2020 – Roy Hammerling
Romans 8:18-21
“I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God.”
Longing Eagerly for Longing
Augustine of Hippo (d. 430), the great early church father, sat by his mother, Monica, as death approached. In his Confessions Augustine tells us that as they contemplated her death, they were reminded of how the sufferings of this present life were not worthy to be compared with the glory that comes in heaven. Then in one of the most moving passages of Christian literature, Augustine describes how this thought created such a deep longing for God in them both that he and his mother together were caught up in a vision into the presence of God, where they “touched” wisdom and felt utterly at peace. Paul in Romans goes on to say about this same idea that all of “creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God.” God as our Creator has intimately made us a part of his creation and so we together with the heavens and the depths of mountains sing, along with the forests and trees, we long for life to be made right (Isaiah 44:23). It’s enough to make us long for the longing. For all of creation and especially our lives are subject to so much futility; so, we long for even the longing to be set free from the bondage of decay. This is especially true during these days of uncertainty. Somehow amid our troubles, we see again what is really important, being present to those who suffer and finding comfort in those who come to us in love.
Prayer: We long for the longing of wisdom, truth, and you O God. Grant us the holy unease we need with this world, to be drawn into your divine presence. Amen.
Prayer Concerns: For those in our lives who have forgotten to long for things that matter.
