We get to thinking that this world is a wonderful place to live. We put down roots and set up shop. We laugh when someone says they are still alive and then says: “And, that is good, considering the alternative.”

We start seeing death as being the end; or, at least something less than what we have now. We think we are going to be sitting on clouds playing harps and being bored.

Others of us look at the disease, wars, suffering, hunger, death, and pain and figure that at least heaven won’t have those things in it. It is really sad how little people know about the awesome aspects of eternity. Heaven isn’t just good because it has the absence of bad things.

The God, Who invented this life, is the creator of something far better. As we look at this earth God created, we start thinking that it had all this decay, calamity, and problems when He created it. Sin didn’t just affect us; it affected this planet too.

Rom 8:19-23 (NIV) The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the One Who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

It effected the whole creation. God made an awesome planet with incredible fun, happiness, joy, and pleasure which got corrupted by sin. He hasn’t changed. That is still His plan. Sin just postponed the greatness of our lives.

We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. This attitude comes from eyes that can see what the Holy Spirit is showing all who have their eyes fixed on the unseen. This attitude will affect our enthusiasm as we present the gospel to the unsaved.