Morning by Morning, May 18 - Groaning for Growing Up into the Maturity of the Image of the Son of God Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. ... As I wait in the quiet for Your leading, I sense a groaning, like a yearning, down in my spirit. ... These Words of Scripture come to mind: “For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope...” (Romans 8:22-24). This groaning, this yearning, is for a growing up into the fullness, into the maturity of who we are in Christ as sons and daughters of God. “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (v. 19). Even all creation joins in this groaning, like a woman in the travail of labor, for what is to come “because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (v. 21). Yes, Father God, keep forming Your nature, Your character, in me and every one of Your sons and daughters in Christ, by “the Spirit of God” dwelling in us, by “the Spirit of Christ” at work within us to set us free to like Jesus (v. 9). For by the power of Your grace at work within us, “we are predestined to be conformed into the image of (Your) Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (v. 29). Give me grace to embrace this spiritual groaning, this spiritual yearning to keep growing into spiritual maturity -- into the image of the Son of God. We can’t even desire it, much less do it on our own, but “the Spirit also helps us in weaknesses” (v. 26). “The Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (v.26b). So, come Holy Spirit, keep making me, making us, more like Jesus every day. With all creation, with “earnest expectation,” I’m “eagerly” waiting and “eagerly” praying “for the revealing of the sons of God” into the maturity of the image of the Son of God (v. 19). And between this day and that day, I join in agreement with the heart of Your Spirit expressed through the heart of Paul, who carried this same groaning and yearning in his spirit: “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (v. 18). As the Apostle Paul also expressed in Galatians 4:19, “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you.” As the children of God, destined to be conformed into the image of the Son of God -- here on earth, here in our hearts and minds and souls and strength, as it is in heaven -- give us the grace to keep groaning and yearning in the Spirit, satisfied with nothing less. “Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-- into Christ” (Ephesians 4:13-15). In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today. In the love of Jesus, Tommy Hays My friends, may you embraced the groaning and yearning of the Spirit of God within you and with all creation, praying for the maturing and revealing of the sons and daughters of God in the earth, in Jesus' name. God bless you! Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries Mailing Address: 412 S. Adams Street #148 Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
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