For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. ¹⁹ For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope ²¹ that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. ²² For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. ²³ And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴ For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

This opens with a powerful verse.  One we should memorize, know, and repeat daily when we get overwhelmed with life’s challenges.   There is NOTHING that compares with what is to come fur us who believe.

Another cool thing is that creation longs not to just see glory, but is eagerly waiting for the glory to be revealed in us. That will be the exciting part.  WE will have glory in a way we could never have imagined as sons of God.

But then there’s that part that seems strange:

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope ²¹ that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

What we know:

• The creation was subjected to futility
• Creation did not do this, but God did
• The creation is in bondage to corruption
• In hope, it will one day obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God

Whoever says they full understand this is not telling the truth.  There is great mystery here.

And yet we can go back to creation.  During creation, it was not just man and woman that were cursed.  So were both the animals and the land.

The land would bear thistles and have issues (Genesis 3).

The animals that were once vegetable and plant eaters, would now eat each other (Genesis 1:29-30).

When the children of God are revealed in glory, the lion will return to lying down with the lamb (Isaiah 11:6), and the creation will stop being subject to futility, bondage and decay.

It all happens when the sons of God, us Christians, are revealed in glory.  No wonder the creation is eager.

But not only creation is eager, we, too, are eager to get new bodies and live in new worlds.  And it says we wait for it patiently.

That patient part is not as easy.  Some days this world gets so evil, many of us eagerly want to see Christ’s return.

But here’s the thing.  For those in Christ, we eagerly long for that day.  But for those who do not know Christ, it will be a terrible day of Judgment, because righteousness is only found through faith in Jesus.