Humanity Groans

For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
Romans 8:22 (NKJV)

All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.
Romans 8:22-25 (Message Bible)

I believe we live in a very pregnant time - societally speaking.

It's not that society is pregnant with potential, or even pregnant with possibility - just pregnant. Pregnancy is about expectation and as the above verse in Romans states, waiting is a part of the expectation.

My daughter in law and son just delivered their second son not more than a week ago [our fourth grandchild]. It's been fun watching these pregnancies over the last few years from a grandparent's view. Far removed from the discomfort and the travail of pregnancy, the vantage point has been in the comparison of the very pregnant mother and society's pregnancy.

The above verse talks about the whole of creation groans and labors with the pain of birth.

I was in a program staff members office recently when she had an unexpected visit from one of our program guests. The guest was visibly irritated about something and without excusing himself into our conversation just began to interrupt. We stopped his interruption long enough to instruct in polite behavior. While he hesitantly complied with the instruction and followed a more polite pattern of behavior, it was difficult for him because he had something inside that needed to get out - he, for that moment was pregnant.

So many of us groan under the pain and labor of birth - something deep inside us that is waiting to experience the freedom of birth. That's what I mean - societally speaking we're living in a very pregnant time.

We're waiting and the more we wait the more what's inside grows and the more it grows the more expectation stirs and the more expectation the more groan and pain we experience.

Here's today's question: 'Do you groan'?

Dan
A Runner