July 28 Daily Devotional

Monthly Theme:

By God’s Word and Spirit the world was made, and he uses the same tools to rebuild the creaking cosmos. God does not save some souls from the wreckage of the planet; instead, the whole groaning creation must be delivered from bondage by the love and power of God.

Bible Reading:

Romans 8:18–21

Bible Text:

The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed (Rom. 8:19).

Devotional:

In Jesus Christ we are sons and daughters of the God of the universe. But just as Jesus himself was incognito while he lived among us, so our true identity has not yet been revealed, says Paul. Who we really are is still hidden.

We still suffer pain. Our human weaknesses are evident to anyone who cares to look. Each one of us has a handicap or two and a couple of nasty traits. We may be the children of the King, but for the time being we live like paupers.

Our experiences of Christ and his Spirit and our communion with God are preliminary. This is a beginning, a foretaste. We have new life already, but we don't have it yet. After we participate in holy communion, we feel like queens and kings—for a day.

If things are right with us, we are impatient to have all of the new life and hold it forever. This eager expectation characterizes the whole creation, says Paul. The destiny of all creation is bound up with the destiny of humanity. With us creation fell, and with us it shall be liberated. The whole creation has this longing for life, this lust for abundant living.

Today we endure winter like snowbound pioneers hibernating in their cabins. Sometimes cabin fever hits us. With the whole creation, we cry for spring to come.

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published in 1994. This edition is copyright by Faith Alive Christian Resources, from whom may be ordered Daylight, the predecessor of Twilight.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this edition of Twilight are from the New International Version

Be sure to read the "Preface" and the "Acknowledgments" by the author.