Manifesting His Glory

Is it easy to declare ‘Situation Excellent’ when the ‘centre is giving way’?

Introduction
At the First Battle of the Marne during World War I, French lieutenant general Ferdinand Foch sent out this communiqué: “My center is giving way, my right is retreating. Situation Excellent, I am attacking.” His willingness to see hope in a tough situation eventually led to victory for his troops.

The corruption of sin
When we look at the world, its situation in some ways seems futile; all of its activities seem to be in vain. Everything lives only for a moment; then it gets sick and dies. What is the point of life when it ends so quickly? The creation was not like that in the beginning. Everything made by God was good and beautiful, but then God’s creation was ruined by the sin of the first man and woman. God said to them “Cursed is the ground because of you” (Gen. 3:17-18). Thus in some way, because of man’s sin, not only mankind but the entire creation was subjected to frustration- subjected to death and decay.
There will be freedom
The word creation here means all living things, both animals and plants. The whole creation is waiting for the sons of God (believers in Christ) to be revealed (glorified). They will be revealed at the end of the world, when Christ will come again to reign in glory. The whole creation is waiting for that day, because on that day, not only will believers be glorified, but also the whole creation itself will in some way be made new. Whose glory will be revealed in us? Christ’s glory. When we are raised with Christ, we shall be like Him (1John3:2). For those who are being led by the Spirit, this glory has already begun here on earth (2Corinthians 3:18).
Conclusion
In this world, toil, strife, sorrow, sickness and death are ever present in the lives of all of us. But all these troubles are like the pains of childbirth. The pain of the childbirth is a sign that a new life is about to be born. In the same way, the pain that this creation is now enduring will in the end result in liberation from its bondage to decay; it will result in a new birth, a new life, a new creation. Remember that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.