Romans 8:23-25
Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
[See discussion in comments.]
Labels: Lyric
Posted by treeinforest at 12:01 PM
3 Comments:
"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."
Do we? Waiting patiently is hard! Even moreso when one is longing for what one does not have!!
i would like to comment... but, then again, this isnt my blog, so i dont want to fill it with my theology... so first ii will ask tree why he chose this verse... is there a specific part that sticks out to you?
and a small tidbit for kelly...
the greek for patience in that verse has a slightly unusual tone to it.. check it out
1) steadfastness, constancy, endurance
a) in the NT the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings
b) patiently, and steadfastly
waiting in faith through struggles.. yeah, i can go with that. i had trouble calling it patience too.
Everyone is always welcome to comment, even and especially at length. I would turn the comments off if they weren't. I am sure anything that gets written in the comments will be more valuable than what is on the front page.
These verses are just some that stood out to me during my reading this morning. I didn't have time to write, but they made me think, and I posted them, hoping they might make someone else think as well.
From the verses that precede these, it seems to me that Paul is talking to those who are frustrated by what they are having to endure, and who are thinking, "why doesn't God just come back now?"
The verse that Kelly pulled out is a conditional: "If we hope...[then] we wait." Paul is saying that true hope does not consist of expecting something "right now," but of waiting patiently (or as some versions say, "wait[ing] with perseverance") until the thing we know is going to happen happens.
In my less educated way, I would say that there is a difference between fervently desiring something we know is coming (or, as Paul describes it, "groan[ing] inwardly as we wait eagerly"), and being impatient about it. That is, there is a difference between saying, "man, it will be so awesome when Jesus comes back and all these promises are fulfilled. I'm so excited, I can't wait!!!" and saying, "Where is he already? Is he ever going to come? I'm getting tired of this. He should have been here by now. Come on, God, I'm waiting!!"
As for "longing for what one does not have," I would just add "YET!!"
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