Bible Passage

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 subject-edit, 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.

Romans 8:18–25

Devotion

At every university where I've lectured, the intellectual questions eventually turn into questions of meaning. Often behind a difficult or angry question is a hurting heart; the intellect is intertwined with the heart. I always try to rescue a question from mere academic connotations.

Once a couple approached me after a church service and began asking questions about the problem of evil. As I began to answer their questions, I happened to glance at their baby, who had Downs Syndrome. Seeing their child, I had a new appreciation for their questions and the context behind them.

Nothing is as offensive as answers perceived to be mere words, uncaring of a human situation.

Even though the search for meaning is debunked today, it is still rigorously pursued. The postmodern world is still a world where technology and means play a greater role than people and relationships. But the cries of the human heart can be smothered only so long. And in these yearnings, the search for significance and fulfillment continues.

– Ravi Zacharias

Character Check

How is the search for meaning expressed in my colleagues?

Something to Think About

Hope is the physician of every misery.

– Irish proverb

Go Deeper

Pastoral Visitation

It can be surprising what people are looking for when we visit them as pastors or church members. This resource offers a plethora of helpful do's and don'ts for those tender situations. Whether you're visiting someone who's sick, someone who's going through a rough patch in life, or someone you just want to check in on, these articles can guide you.