Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Have you ever had scripture become real to you in a new way? I must confess until yesterday this passage in Romans 8 held a whole different understanding for me. Then the culmination of personal suffering resulted in glory revealed. Was it worth it? Yes, you better believe it.

It wasn’t pleasant to experience nor was it pleasant to watch. People worried about me as I struggled thru my suffering. I am one who exhibits suffering, I do not hide it. I believe in being real with the people around me. How else would they know I am in distress? I had people praying for me even though they had no idea what to pray for, and neither did I.

It is over now and the joy I share “as He carried me there” no other shall ever know. Well that isn’t exactly true, the one more part of the body of Christ who joined us knows.

V19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Manifestation was seen.

V20, 21 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

I always thought of this in future terms, but isn’t today yesterday’s future? I just never thought of this in terms that I would be subjected to vanity, suffering that did not produce expected results. I did not know the joy I would feel from that finished work, so the suffering was well worth it.

Lamentations 5:21 Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

Here is a sad truth of which our human condition fails to realize our own attitudes and actions. We want restoration to the good old days and expect God to do it for us. This is evident in the first words of the line, turn us, we will not do it ourselves, you will have to do it for us.

I hear it in so many prayers these days, “turn the hearts of your people”. “Restore in us a right heart.” “If your people will hearken to your voice.” All those prayers have one thing in common, seeking the good old days rather than looking to see what God is doing today.

It is always easier to look back on what was good and beg for that, then to look forward to the unknown and trust God for the results. It is real hard to look forward and see that evil is all around us and trust a God that might only say go, with no promise of ease and comfort. That is why we want time to reverse and restore the good old days. Heaven forbid I might have to actually do something.

Moses led the children out of Egypt and not so long after crossing thru the sea they began looking back on the good old days, in bondage.

Numbers 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:

It is worthy of noting that this generation died in the wilderness before Israel moved into the land of promise, all because they sought the good old days and not what lay ahead.