December 4

Morning

For I am with you and no one will lay a hand on you, because I have many people in this city. — Acts 18:10 BSB

This truth should encourage us greatly in our efforts to share the gospel—because among even the worst of sinners, the most immoral, and those deep in drunkenness and debauchery, God has chosen His people who must be saved. When you share the Word with them, you do so as a messenger of life, because God has ordained that they will receive it. For this is the decree of predestination: they are as much redeemed by Christ’s blood as the saints standing before the eternal throne! They belong to Christ, even if at this moment they are wasting their lives in taverns and despising holiness. But if Jesus has purchased them, He will claim them.

God is faithful and will not forget the price His Son paid. He will not allow Christ’s sacrifice to be ineffective or in vain. Thousands of those redeemed by His blood are not yet regenerated, but they will be! This is our comfort when we bring them the life-giving Word of God.

Moreover, Christ prays for these ungodly ones even now. “My prayer is not for them alone,” He says, “but also for those who will believe in Me through their message.” These poor, ignorant souls do not pray for themselves, but Jesus prays for them. Their names are on His heart, and soon they will bow their stubborn knees and offer prayers of repentance before the throne of grace.

“The time for figs has not yet come.” The appointed moment has not arrived, but when it does, they will obey, for God will have His redeemed! They must submit, for the Spirit cannot be resisted when He comes with the fullness of His saving power. They will become willing servants of the living God. “My people will be willing in the day of My power.” “He will justify many.” “He will see the results of His suffering and be satisfied.”

Evening

Not only that, 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. — Rom 8:23 BSB

All saints experience this groaning to some degree, though it is not a groan of complaint or murmuring. Rather, it is the sound of longing, not distress. Having received the firstfruits of the Spirit, we yearn for the full inheritance. We long for the complete redemption of our entire being—spirit, soul, and body—free from every trace of the fall. We look forward to shedding corruption, weakness, and dishonor and being clothed in incorruption, immortality, and glory with the spiritual body the Lord Jesus will give His people. We yearn for the day when our adoption as God’s children is fully revealed.

We groan, but it is an “inward groaning.” It is not the hypocrite’s groan, aimed at making others believe he is godly because he is miserable. Our sighs are sacred, too precious to be shared openly. We keep these groanings between us and the Lord alone.

The apostle also says we are “waiting.” This teaches us not to be impatient, like Jonah or Elijah, who asked to die, nor to give in to despair because of life’s difficulties. We shouldn’t wish to escape from our work or sufferings. Instead, we are to long for glorification, but wait patiently for it, trusting that the Lord’s timing is best. Waiting means being ready—standing at the door, expecting the Beloved to open it and take us to Himself.

This “groaning” is a test of character. You can tell a lot about a person by what they groan for. Some groan for wealth—they are devoted to material things. Some groan under life’s troubles—they are simply impatient. But the one who groans for God, who isn’t satisfied until he becomes like Christ—that is the blessed person. May God help us to groan for the coming of the Lord and the resurrection He will bring to us.