Groaning (again) in hope

There was, not surprisingly, a sombre atmosphere at our morning services yesterday. 

London Bridge and Borough Market are very familiar - for some, daily - locations for people in Redhill. There were some people in church who had been eating in the Market the previous evening, and another church family had caught the train from London Bridge to Redhill just minutes before the attack began. 

Pentecost songs and readings reminded us of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit of God, who draws alongside, comforts, and reminds us of the true nature of God in Jesus Christ. But there wasn't the usual sense of celebration that comes with Pentecost. 


But it was good to be together - to pray for the victims and all caught up in the attack. To pray that those who would love to destabilise our society - particularly in this election week - might be frustrated. To be thankful for the Police and the emergency services, and to pray for those who are dealing with the aftermath. 

More than that, though, we gathered as we do every week as those who have hope, and who believe in the victory of God over evil through the cross and the resurrection of Christ - those who are submitting our lives to be changed more into the likeness of Christ so that the world might see him through us.

This morning's Scripture Union bible study notes - presumably written months in advance - couldn't have been more appropriate. 
The reading was Romans Chapter 8:18-39 - entitled 'Present Suffering and Future Glory' and I recommend reading it before taking time to read Bishop Graham Cray's notes on it below:

'Teach me to carry the pain of the world to the heart of God in prayer, for it to find its true healing in Christ.'

What is the Father’s family business? What is our inheritance in Christ? It is the restoration of the whole creation (vs 19–23). The church is the hope of creation. The created order needs the ‘freedom and glory of the children of God’ (v 21). Creation longs for what the children of God already have. The church is a sign of hope – but hope involves suffering before the full glory of creation healed can be achieved.

The suffering is expressed in the word ‘groan’ (vs 22,23,26). The creation groans because of its decay and futility. If it could speak it would say, ‘It’s not meant to be like this!’ 

However, the church is part of creation, part of its present condition and of its future in Christ. Because our bodies are not yet redeemed we can identify with the frustrated cry of creation, but we are bearers of hope. We know that one day creation will not be like this. 

The pain of creation is more than we can bear, but the Holy Spirit interprets our prayers and responds ‘with groans too deep for words’ (v 26, ISV). This responsive Spirit dwells, not far away in heaven, but in the church. The church lives in the midst of a broken creation as a sign and communicator of hope. Our privilege as Christ’s fellow heirs is to turn the groaning of creation into the labour pains of the new creation.

In the light of this vocation, Paul assures us that God is at work to make us like Christ, that God will provide what we need, that he will protect us and that nothing can separate us from the love of God (v 39). We are to give ourselves to a broken world assured that we are secure in the love of God.

Graham Cray

You can find Scripture Union Daily Bible Reading notes by clicking here.