Labor Pains...Uuuggghhh!

 Probably don't need to keep mentioning it, but these blogs will make much more sense if you have read previous posts and will have the scripture open as you peruse it. So let's get into it...


Romans 8:35: So if Jesus love us with that amazing kind of super-love, then regardless of what happens we shouldn't be shaken! All the things that are listed here are the present suffering we must endure now before we partake in the glory. The only way to make it through life and the things that we inevitably will have to walk through is the hope of Jesus and being completely redeemed in the end (see 8:25). Don’t listen t your feelings about God in the midst of the suffering of life, they will give you false impressions and ideas of what is happening leading to erroneous conclusions on why things happen. This scripture seems to make it very clear that the reality is we should expect to encounter these sufferings because we live as a fallen people in a fallen creation. Good to know as well that Paul isn’t writing this from some luxury suite somewhere, but is writing from the still fresh memories and experiences with this brutal world (that will shortly kill him), and the truth that he clings to that enables him to go on.


Romans 8:36: This is a quote of Psalm 44:22. The psalm talks about the people walking faithfully with God, and the end result they expect from that of God doing big things like He had in the past like leading them out of Egypt. What the writer of the psalm struggles with is that even though he and others are being faithful, things are not going well for them! Indeed, many of the people are being killed for their faith, even by their faith because they are relying on God and not man. “I do not trust my bow, I do not count on my sword to save me, it is You who gives us victory over our enemies, it is You who humbles those who hate us.” Psalm 44:6-7. And that very faith is what they cannot comprehend. They believe that faith means God should move NOW to deliver them and they can’t understand why He won’t when they fell like they’ve been faithful. Listen to 44:23, “Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Get up! Do not reject us forever!” And this is 44:26, “Rise up! Come and help us! Save us because of your unfailing love.” Is this not what Paul is talking about in all of Romans 8? Creation is fallen and groaning for salvation and redemption, but for now we must suffer through and hope. Hope in the truth that while it does not look like it, Jesus has begun the redemption process that will one day restore us and all of creation. And He has done this because of His great love for us, and at great cost to Himself (the cross). So now, in this fallen creation, things are not as they appear. There is death, heartache and struggle…but only for a little while longer. And in the midst of all of this God’s love remains a constant, bringing us forgiveness and adoption instead of condemnation. So there’s only one conclusion to be reached…


Romans 8:37: Because of what Jesus did, the victory is ours. Sin has been defeated, death is simply a transition, eternity is secured, hope is realized, love is conquering. These terrible things we experience now, are like the labor pains before the birth. At the time very painful and all encompassing, yet quickly forgotten and pushed aside when new life comes from them (See 8:22). We’re in labor, waiting to be reborn so yes, the things we experience are painful and large, and it is easy to let them make us feel forsaken. And yes, those labor pains will last our entire lives (even though that isn’t even a blink of eternity), but not forever. These labor pains cannot, will not, are not separating us from Jesus’ love…which has already sealed our fate through the Holy Spirit. We are God’s children!