“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.” Rom. 8:23–24
Lord Jesus, I bless you for friends with whom I can do what Paul calls “groaning inwardly and waiting eagerly.” Sometimes the weight of life is heavier than the wait for your return is real. We need each other. It’s a great gift to have friends with whom we can ache without reservation, lament without embarrassment, and encourage without “fixing.” Thank you, Lord.
Jesus, we’ve never been more eager for your return. On that Day we will be sin free and fully like you—as hard as that is to imagine. Everything in the cosmos will be made new—not replaced, but made wondrously new. The entire earth will be filled with the knowledge of your glory and each of our hearts will be filled with your beauty. The barren places will be forested with hand-clapping trees. Desolate hills and mountains will sing and shout with incomparable joy (Isa. 55:12). We will finally love you as you deserve, and each other as you love us.
Until that Day, we choose to show up, bear hearts, and bear each other’s burdens—not tune out, numb out, or check out. Even though there’s no epidural or anesthesia to eliminate the pain of life in this fallen world, we are grateful you are with us and for us. And we’re grateful you make your presence real through our Gospel-shaped, grace-saturated friendships. Hallelujah, we’ll never know a Christ-absent day as we long for a pain-empty world. Hurry back here, Lord. Thank you, and So Very Amen.
