All Things Decay

“For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” Romans 8:19-21

My family spent a recent Saturday repainting one side of the house. The south side soaks up the sun relentlessly, and we occasionally have to scrape off the peeling paint, and get a couple of new coats of paint on it to preserve it from further decay.

All creation is decaying, decomposing and deteriorating. We don’t have to look far to see this truth. Our clothing wears out. Our bodies die. Food spoils. We must build up soil before we can plant again. New tires must be put on our vehicles. Sidewalks crack. The list of things that break down is as endless as the number of created things, because every created thing breaks down.

This is a scientific law called “The Second Law of Thermodynamics.” It is a “law” that God put into place at creation, and it began to show when Adam first sinned. (If you have trouble understanding this concept, think of the “law of gravity” which all creation must obey.) The only reason we say these types of “laws” are scientific is because scientists have figured out how they work—usually without glorifying God Who made the laws. Every created thing is ultimately obedient to God’s laws. Nothing you own today is as fresh as the day you bought it. If outside forces restore order (such as my family repainting the house), God’s laws dictate that the process of decay begins again, heading to disorder.

Without going into a tedious explanation of the study of heat power and energy transfer (also God’s laws of creation), we can still give God glory for His power and creativity. In my devotions today, I came across Romans 8:19-21. I love it when I see a truth in Scripture that has been “discovered” and “proven” by scientists.

Verse 19 tells us that all creation has an earnest expectation and is eagerly awaiting the revelation of the sons of God (us). And why? It knows it is living (unwillingly) in futility (verse 20), but it also knows (verse 21) that creation itself will be delivered from the bondage of corruption (the Second Law of Thermodynamics) into the glorious liberty of the children of God!

Literally, ALL God’s creation, not just mankind, will one day be delivered from the bondage of corruption, the bondage of decay and death, into GLORIOUS LIBERTY. That original, beautiful Garden of Eden, in whatever state it is at this moment, will be released and redeemed to return to its created perfection. Now THAT is something I want to see!

Tomorrow, we’ll look at a sequel to these thoughts.

God, You are glorious in all Your doings. There is so much we don’t know, but You have revealed things to us in Your Word that explain so many things. Help us to see our world through Your eyes. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.