I have vivid memories of a night during the elementary years for my three children when I stood at the edge of the parking area behind our church, tears threatening to spill over, as a train ran its track only a few yards away. Its noise was the only thing loud enough to muffle the screams I felt rising in me. The intensity of my own emotions frightened me. A series of frustrations and disappointments, one overlapping the next in rapid succession like waves in a choppy sea sent me away from anyone who might see me cry. I needed time with Jesus to straighten my heart out before I could head home with my children.
I don’t remember the particulars except for the one that triggered my emotions, but I do remember yelling aloud, knowing my voice would be drowned out by the train, “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, Lord, but I know it’s not supposed to be this way!”
The world we inhabit is broken. It has been almost since its beginning. We see and feel the results of sin- mine, yours, every person’s who has or will ever live- every single day. We cannot deny the fact that something is out of whack.
“I am convinced that any suffering we endure is less than nothing compared to the magnitude of glory that is about to be unveiled within us.
The entire universe is standing on tiptoe, yearning to see the unveiling of God’s glorious sons and daughters!
For against its will the universe itself has had to endure the empty futility resulting from the consequences of human sin.
But now, with eager expectation, all creation longs for freedom from its slavery to decay and to experience with us the wonderful freedom coming to God’s children.
To this day we are aware of the universal agony and groaning of creation, as if it were in the contractions of labor for childbirth.
And it’s not just creation.
We who have already experienced the firstfruits of the Spirit also inwardly groan as we passionately long to experience our full status as God’s sons and daughters—including our physical bodies being transformed.
For this is the hope of our salvation.
But hope means that we must trust and wait for what is still unseen.
For why would we need to hope for something we already have?
So because our hope is set on what is yet to be seen, we patiently keep on waiting for its fulfillment.”
Romans 8:18-25 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/rom.8.18-25.TPT
All of creation knows what we know- something is not right. At the same time, we passionately long for wholeness. Ecclesiastes speaks at length of the futility of life and work outside of God. Men and women apart from God, whose passions are focused solely on fleeting pleasure, unaware that wholeness is found in God alone, will never be satisfied here on earth or in the eternal hereafter.
“God has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time.
He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]—yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/ecc.3.11.AMP
“Do not hold past iniquities against us; let your compassion come to us quickly, for we have become very weak.
God of our salvation, help us, for the glory of your name.
Rescue us and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake.
Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture, will thank you forever; we will declare your praise to generation after generation.”
Psalms 79:8-9, 13 CSB
https://bible.com/bible/1713/psa.79.13.CSB
A descendant of Asaph, a Levite set apart to lead worship by King David and continuing through his son, Solomon’s reign, probably recorded these words during the aftermath of the Babylonian captivity. He speaks for the people of Israel when he questions God.
“How long, Lord?
Will you be angry forever?
Will your jealousy keep burning like fire?”
Psalms 79:5 CSB
https://bible.com/bible/1713/psa.79.5.CSB
He records the destruction he sees in Jerusalem and laments God’s heavy hand on His chosen people. He begs God to avenge the insults to His name and the blood of His servants in answer to the enemy’s challenge, “Where is this God of yours?” He would clearly prefer it to be accomplished “in our sight,” as one translation finishes verse ten. He longs for justice, and how about let me live to see it, Lord!
Like many prophetic prayers, personal and corporate sins are confessed with repentance and a plea for salvation. God’s judgement is coming, just as surely as it came on Israel through an enemy king in the psalmist’s day, and when the day of the Lord comes, nothing will hold back His hand. That’s what it means to be under God’s wrath. His judgement is sure and our demise is certain, save one and only One thing- Jesus!
It is no small matter to call down the judgement of God. Jesus warned his disciples against it. According to commentary writers, the Samaritans once refused Jesus passage on His way to worship in Jerusalem, yet only a short time later, He told the parable of the Good Samaritan. “Jesus knew the Father had grace enough to change even the most stubborn individuals, so we can never give up on those who seem to be wayward.” (Luke 9:55 The Passion Translation commentary, YouVersion Bible App)
“Jesus let nothing distract him from departing for Jerusalem because the time for him to be lifted up (crucified) drew near, and he was full of passion to complete his mission there.
So he sent messengers ahead of him as envoys to a village of the Samaritans.
But as they approached the village, the people turned them away.
They would not allow Jesus to enter, for he was on his way to worship in Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John realized what was happening, they returned to Jesus and said, “Lord, if you wanted to, you could command fire to fall down from heaven, just as Elijah did and destroy all these wicked people.”
Jesus rebuked them sharply, saying, “Don’t you realize what spews from your hearts when you say that?
The Son of Man did not come to destroy life, but to bring life to the earth.””
Luke 9:51-55 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/luk.9.51-55.TPT
Jesus was full of passion to complete His mission so He set out resolutely for Jerusalem. He would not be deterred by skeptics or over zealous followers. His passion was a suffering endurance such as that of a long distance runner, plumbing the depths of his very being to finish the race. It was also a love beyond every other for His creation separated from the Father and subject to His wrath.
“Let your compassion quickly meet our needs, for we are on the brink of despair. Help us, O God of our salvation!” (Psalm 79:8 NLT)
“Hurry to our side, and let your tenderhearted mercy meet us in our need, for we are devastated beyond belief.” (Psalms 79:8 TPT)
“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.”
Romans 5:6 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.5.6.NLT
“For when the time was right, the Anointed One came and died to demonstrate his love for sinners who were entirely helpless, weak, and powerless to save themselves.
But Christ proved God’s passionate love for us by dying in our place while we were still lost and ungodly!”
Romans 5:6, 8 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/rom.5.6-8.TPT
“Our faith in Jesus transfers God’s righteousness to us and he now declares us flawless in his eyes.
This means we can now enjoy true and lasting peace with God, all because of what our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, has done for us.
Our faith guarantees us permanent access into this marvelous kindness that has given us a perfect relationship with God.
What incredible joy bursts forth within us as we keep on celebrating our hope of experiencing God’s glory!
But that’s not all!
Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance.
And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope.
And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us!”
Romans 5:1-5 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/rom.5.1-5.TPT
“Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.”
1 John 5:21 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1jn.5.21.NLT
Hope Has A Name -Passion with Kristian Stanfill
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