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We live in the reality that God's Kingdom has come to Earth...and yet it has not come in its full glory.
This reminds me of this weekend--going with my family to Lowe's to pick out spring flowers and yet huddling together in our jackets as the wind whipped around us, making the chill feel like it was in the 30s.
Brrrrr. Doesn't the calendar say that it is April?
Isn't it spring now?
But why does it still feel like winter?
Well, like we talked about in this post...it is sort of both spring AND winter.
Jesus stated time and time again, during His time on Earth, that God's Kingdom had come.
However, in his epistle to the Romans, Paul stated that we, as well as ALL of creation, still groan for the fullness of His glory to made a present-day reality. We see this in Romans chapter 8:22-25...
"For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."
We see this as Christ won the battle over sin and death while on the cross...but yet we still struggle with the sin of our flesh and disease in our bodies today.
The here...and the not yet.
The Scriptures say this final victory will be realized at the end of the ages, when the Son of Man will come again and throw Satan, death, and Hades into the lake of fire for all time (see Revelations 20).
For now, God allows the evil one to roam the Earth, seeking to destroy Christ followers.
For now, God allows death and disease.
For now, God asks that we be patient and hope in the things we do not see, to have faith in Him and His plan and purpose.
As Christ's passion week begins, let us not forget that we live in a time of Good Friday.
But let us be assured that Easter Sunday is soon coming!
The here and the not yet.
Yes, a very strange place to be indeed.
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