We’ve done a fair bit of groaning recently! Much of our groaning has been very understandable, given the COVID-19 pandemic. And for many around the world, the groan has signified a teetering balance between been life and death!
The Bible also acknowledges this reality: it says that “we groan”, and that the “creation itself groans” (Ro 8:18-27). The reason for the groaning is that we and the creation are frustrated, unable to do what we’d most like to do, and because we can’t escape the process of everything wearing out to eventual destruction and death.
In truth, Jesus Christ uttered the greatest groan of suffering and longing that has ever been uttered – “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46). This expressed unspeakable loss; Him being cut off from God and life! He did this for us, so that we would be saved from this loss, forgiven, and given eternal life instead.
Behind our every daily groan, and behind the bigger groans that we make at times, there is a much greater longing that we ache for: our brokenness to be healed, and all that we most value and enjoy in life, relationships and creation to be made deathless, glorious and everlasting!
That is what we are groaning about when we groan about the Coronavirus! The important thing is that we don’t imagine that Coronavirus is our worst difficulty, nor that overcoming it will remove our greatest problem. Rather we must look to the only One who is the true, ultimate Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, and put our whole trust in Him.
Grace and cheers, Jonathan.