Tell me all your thoughts on God...

I got to spend some splendiferous time with God a couple of days ago and I just re-read what I wrote in my journal that morning. (it was an especially focused and relaxed time of meditation because i was at a coffee shop and not distracted by thoughts of when lila might wake up from her nap.) Anyway, I thought I'd share. The Bible passage that I read was Romans 8:18-27.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 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.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

Here's what I wrote in my journal (i'm not saying it's amazing or well-written, but i thought others might be interested in my flow of thought):

We do so many things to try and ease our pain. So many things, but rarely the thing that we should do -- turn to God. Such broken creatures filled with such glory! But so often we don't see it, even within ourselves. On earth, we are born, we create new life, we die, and so life goes on. In heaven, will we reproduce? will there be kittens? :o) There will no longer be decay - in people or the rest of creation. Will things still break?

"The creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth" - what does that mean? Does the earth feel? Why does God allow so much pain, even among his faithful followers? Does the pain make us better able to see the beauty? Are we subjected to suffering that we might learn what hope is? If we were already in possession of all the joy we are promised, then what would we hope for? - "who hopes for what he already has?" I would rush us all toward glory, but that is not God's will. Will our appreciation of glory be equal to our hope for it on this side of death?

I love this image - that "the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." Sometimes the pain in my heart is beyond my words or understanding, but it is never beyond God's understanding. Praise God that his Spirit intercedes for us, in accordance with God's will! May God's will be done and not my own.

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The photo of Lila is not really related, but who am I to pass by an opportunity to show off my sweet girl? After all, she is one of the beautiful things in this world!