ROMANS 8:22

“For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.”

If you are like me, you have probably experienced some groans and sufferings in your lifetime. Whether they be from physical pain or emotional pain, those groans and sufferings are real. What can make those even worse is if they are experienced by more than one person. When the terrorist attacks happened back on September 11, 2001, the whole nation groaned and suffered. It was a deep groan and deep suffering. You probably still remember where you were the moment that happened.

Paul uses a word today that is used only here in the New Testament. The word is sustenazó which comes from sun (together) and stenazo (groan). That preposition sun is that inseparable togetherness. You are bound by this groaning. Paul is saying in today’s verse that all creation is bound together in this groaning and suffering. Then Paul uses another “one-time” word. The phrase “suffers the pains of childbirth together” is one Greek word – sunódinó. It also has the preposition sun. It is joined to odino (birth pains, labor). What a great word picture Paul paints for us.

APPLICATION

Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, creation has been groaning. There would have been no earthquakes, volcano eruptions, floods, hurricanes or tornadoes if man had not sinned. Not only did Adam and Eve begin to experience the decay of death, but so did creation. Thorns and thistles grew where once there was just beautiful meadows or fruit trees.

How does this apply to us? We are decaying as I write these words. There is nothing we can do to stop our physical decay. We can take a thousand multivitamins and spend thousands of dollars on doctors and therapies, but we will all still die. Our bodies simply break down. I know I feel mine breaking down every day.

But we do have a remedy for our spiritual body, our spirit and even our soul. Jesus gives us a new birth. We are regenerated through His Holy Spirit. He transforms our minds (Romans 12:1-2). He transforms our spirits and knits it together with His. He transforms even our souls (our personalities). Think about that last one. Don’t tell me you don’t see that in that person who gets saved. They stop telling those off-color jokes. They stop looking at stuff they shouldn’t look at. They stop being the person they were before Christ. Our groanings and sufferings may continue physically, but spiritually we have no need for that anymore. Hallelujah, praise His name.

Thank You, Father God, for hearing my groans and seeing my sufferings. You have rescued me and given me a new life.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis).