All of Creation Groans

"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 firstfruits 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."

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified." (Romans 8:22-30)

Moore, Oklahoma
Source: The Atlantic

Sometimes I, very sinfully, hate the purposes for which it seems we were called, the paths that we appear to be destined for. Called to die at an early age, called to outlive our children, called to live a sickly life, called to suffer with cancer, called to lose everything in a matter of seconds... But then I remember our true purpose and our true path: to be conformed to the image of Christ. We were destined to be saved from the beginning of time. All the subsequent destinies and purposes that both haunt us and please us have their place in God's plan for us and for all His children, but we have the blessing of knowing the divine point of it all: Christ crucified and risen for us.

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we look at our world today with groanings to deep for words, our eyes turn towards You, the Creator of all things both seen and unseen. We ask that You keep the injured and the grieving in Your care and give them strength to endure what seems impossible. We also ask, as You welcome home with joy Your children who have left this world too soon for our understanding, that some of that joy might slip through this sadness and into our own hearts and the hearts of those that are breaking, settling all in the secure knowledge that we will be reunited one day through Your dear Son, who died that all may live again, free from fear and grief and pain.

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.