THE KING’S BUSINESS
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marvelous glory that these sufferings will work out for him in the eternal future. “Our light affliction which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are tem poral (i. e., for a time) ; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Cor. 4; 17-18). Monday, July 16 . Rom. 8 :l 8 , rp. Paul has been speaking of our sufferings with Christ and the glory that should fol low, and he here adds “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to usward.’ How small are pres ent sufferings, yes how small even the suf ferings of the martyrs arer compared with the glory that is. soon' to be revealed to usward, when we shall enter into our inheritance as sharers to the full in the infinite glory of God, being made possess ors of all God has and all God is (cf. Col. 3:4; R. V.). How foolish are our com plainings and bur weariness under our present light affliction which is but for a moment and worketh out for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory. Even the. creation itself is watch ing with eager expectation for this coming “revealing of, the sons of God,” i. e., the revelation of the glory that we shall have when we enter into our full possession as heirs^ of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. This “earnest expectation of the creation” of our coming glory is proof that the sufferings that we endure in this pres ent time “are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to usward.” Tuesday, July 17 . Rom. 8 : 20 , 21 . Not only is there a redemption for man, but also for the physical universe as well, a restoration of all things (cf. Acts 2:21, R. V.). The physical universe shared in the results of man’s fall (Gen. 3:17, 18).
“The creation was subjected to vanity.” But the creation shall also share in man’s redemption, “the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God.” It was God who sub jected the physical creation to vanity in connection with man’s fall, but He did it with a beneficent purpose, a purpose, it is true, which, like most of God’s pur poses, lay; far in the future for its com plete unfolding. God’s purpose was that, that “the creation itself should be deliv ered from the bondage of corruption unto the liberty of the glory of the children of God.” The physical universe is to be glori fied. Parts of it already appear glorious beyond description as every lover of God and nature knows, but the most glorious landscape that eye ever saw is nothing to the glory that is to glorify this whole material universe when God shall have delivered the creation from the bondage of corruption by which it is now fettered, into the liberty of the glory of the children of •God. Sunday, July 18 . Rom. 8 : 22 - 25 . God’s scheme of redemption is not merely to save men’s souls. God’s plan is that we possess a redeemed spirit, in a re deemed body, in a redeemed society, in a redeemed universe. This will also become actual in connection with the second com ing of Christ. Even so, come, Lord Jesus, some quickly ! But at present man groans and the whole creation groans and tra vails together in pain. Babes are born in pain, the first sound they utter is a cry, they grow up in pain, they'die in pain. The animal world shares in this pain, “the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together (or, together with us) until now.” Death works all through nature and pain is everywhere. Even we who have received, spiritual redemption, the first fruits of the Spirit are not exempted from pain and suffering, our bodies are not yet redeemed. “Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting (assiduously and patiently waiting) for our adoption (plac-
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