18 I believe that the present suffering is nothing compared to the coming glory that is going to be revealed to us. 19 The whole creation waits breathless with anticipation for the revelation of God’s sons and daughters. 20 Creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice—it was the choice of the one who subjected it—but in the hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from slavery to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of God’s children. 22 We know that the whole creation is groaning together and suffering labor pains up until now. 23 And it’s not only the creation. We ourselves who have the Spirit as the first crop of the harvest also groan inside as we wait to be adopted and for our bodies to be set free. 24 We were saved in hope. If we see what we hope for, that isn’t hope. Who hopes for what they already see? 25 But if we hope for what we don’t see, we wait for it with patience. 26 In the same way, the Spirit comes to help our weakness. We don’t know what we should pray, but the Spirit himself pleads our case with unexpressed groans. 27 The one who searches hearts knows how the Spirit thinks, because he pleads for the saints, consistent with God’s will. 28 We know that God works all things together for good for the ones who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 We know this because God knew them in advance, and he decided in advance that they would be conformed to the image of his Son. That way his Son would be the first of many brothers and sisters. 30 Those who God decided in advance would be conformed to his Son, he also called. Those whom he called, he also made righteous. Those whom he made righteous, he also glorified. (Romans 8:18-30, CEB)
Have you ever been there, in that moment where it seems like time is standing still and moving one million miles an hour all at the same time, as you wait for the thing you’ve been waiting for to happen?
It is a breathless moment where you almost need to remind yourself to breathe.
We are so caught up in the anticipation of what is coming we forget to do what needs to be done to live.
That is what Paul says life is like in the already but not yet. We are already sons and daughters of God, we have already experienced the birth of our savior, but we wait for it like it hasn’t happened.
When the fulfillment of the kingdom comes and we take that breath, oh the beauty of the moment.
Know Jesus is with us, even as we wait for him.
Know that we are already with God, as we await the fulfillment of the kingdom.
Know that we are breathless, even as we breathe.
Loving People. Loving God.