we ourselves groan within ourselves. (reflections on romans 8)

There is a deep awareness in my spirit, with every flash of lightning and every ray of sun through the clouds, 

With every change of season and every move and transition, 

In the quiet of the woods and in the buzz of the city, 

In works of art and in pieces of music, 

But especially on the cloudy and overcast days like today when my candles burn and my cup of tea grows cold, 

That there is more…

And when Augustine said that ‘our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You,’ I don’t know if he thought that we could achieve that sort of rest in our earthly bodies, but I certainly don’t think so.  Because I am constantly groaning within myself, waiting eagerly for my adoption and redemption, in hope for what I cannot see, waiting eagerly for it.   

And the creation waits with me, groaning loudly in every way that it can alongside my spirit.  The storms and the hurricanes some days seem like the tantrums of an angry child who has been kept out past their bedtime and just wants to go home.  But always, the sun shines again, for the child knows its Father and trusts His timing and knows that it is best.  

I, too, push back the tantrum that swells inside and stop pacing by the fire, and take my last sip of tea and blow out the candle, 

For there is life to live,              

  And work to do 

Until the day of redemption comes.                                              

(E’en so, come Lord Jesus.)   

The difference between the Old Narnia and the New Narnia was, the new one was a deeper country; every rock and flower and blade of grass looked as if it meant more.  I can’t describe it any better than that: if ever you get there, you will know what I mean. It was the Unicorn who summed up what everyone was feeling.  He stamped his right fore-hoof on the ground and neighed, and then cried,’                   

“I have come home at last!  This is my real country!  I belong here.  This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it til now.  The reason why we loved the old Narnia is that it sometimes looked a little like this.                               

Come further up,                                              

Come further in!”                                                                                                                                                                      

-C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle.

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Meanwhile, the groaning ceases for a moment as the skies open and I see a bit of heaven in the form of live music that is, to me, an epic and a moving experience.  (I use the word 'epic' because I can't seem to find another word to describe quite how big and significant it was to me.)  Now, I'm not trying to be overly spiritual here, but honestly.  Coldplay is amazing!!