God’s grace cursed the earth

Scripture Read: Romans 8:18-27 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly 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 also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. 26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God

Application:  The fall affected all – everything. Not only is there futility in creation - pointlessness = Book of Ecclesiastes – but it has been used by God to open us to His grace. This is an aspect of His grace that many times is over looked – yet God extended it to bring us to redemption. There is no point in life outside of one in a relationship with our Creator. If God had allowed us to attain a worthwhile point in this life without Him – we would go into eternity separated from Him. It is that very pointlessness that drives us to look for something more – which leads us to Christ. We are created for a purpose, but due to the fall we will never be able to reach that purpose outside of God. When we enter into a relationship with Him – that sense of purpose begins. Our purpose will never be fully realized until He comes for us, but as we grow in Him each day we will sense it ever clearer. God help us pursue that purpose to the exclusion of our sin.