Trinitarian Joy: The Groaning of Creation

I've just finished watching several videos from recent earthquake in Haiti. Initially my heart goes out to the people but my second response is 'God, why?'.

"...those eighteen on whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." Luke 13:4-5

"For creation was subjected to futility, not willingly but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage of decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for the adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." Romans 8:20-23

Amidst devastation God calls us to a 'greater reality' with radical introspection. In Luke 13:4-5, Christ dismantles our natural propensity to judge the situations ourselves.Our responsibility is to consider our own end trusting in God "...who made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him." Furthermore, our responsibility is to pray that God might open the eyes of others to see their need for Jesus. And finally, our responsibility is to proclaim through word and deed the salvation of Jesus that has been afforded to this fallen world.

Also, amidst devastation God calls us to a 'greater reality' with radical extro-spection. In Romans 8:20-23 God shows us the larger storyline of creation wherein he has given it up to its own fallen state. The inherent result is devastation, but it is not devastation that is without hope. Rather, the central purpose of creation 'groaning' is so that we ourselves would groan in hope for another creation. We graciously receive a foretaste of this hope as Spirit-indwelt believers. Our hope is for a new creation but our hope is in Jesus who through his life, death and resurrection provides the redemption or the deliverance of creation from its fallen state. A new creation has been purchased through his blood for the glory of our Father, and the good of his people. Wait in hope!
(Matt Marek/American Red Cross/AP Photo)

Why Trinitarian Joy?

For me the most astonishing reality that I have learned is that God takes ulitmate joy in himself. This ultimate joy is revealed in Scripture through the roles and relationships within the Triune Community. Whether we look at Creation, Fall, Redemption or Consumation, God -through the roles and relationships of the Trinity- is always orchestrating his supreme joy and exhaltation in himself.

God created us in his image so that God might see himself in us. In other words, as children of God we are tools of God's delight. This is not to say that God needs us to experience delight for he is perfectly satisfied in community with himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. However, God creates man out of the perfections of his trinitarian joy whereby man's joy is fulfilled in putting God's greatness on display. In other words, we have been created to join intimately into God's trinitarian joy wherein we are satisfied and God is glorified.

Now sin has destroyed our life with God for we have exchanged the glory God for the glory of his creation. We have neglected God as the source of all joy and have sought for intimacy elsewhere. 'But God who is rich in mercy...' lovingly glorified his Son by deploying Him to purchase up sinners unto Himself from their damnable state. And the Son lovingly glorified the Father through his obedience thereby securing a people unto His name. And in the wisdom of God the Spirit was sent to glorify the Son by tranforming these ransomed sinner into Christlikeness. Is it not evident that God's joy in himself secures our joy in him?

As God's family, it is through the cross that we have access into the holy place before God's throne. The gospel intimately joins us again into the joyful fellowship of our Triune God.

Since God is committed to making himself great, his promises of a restoration are sure. The Father will continue to make much of his Son and the Son will make much of his Father. And one day all those whom the Son has purchased will be presented holy and blameless before the Father. Not only will we be glorified but creation itself will be fully subjected to the authority of the Son who will restore all things for the glory of the Father.

When all is said and done, it is obvious that we were not created unto ourselves to bask in our frail, finite-selfworth, but rather we were created for nothing less than an infinite triune God who has rescued us from our damnable self-interest and has made us alive unto Himself.

Therefore, take joy in that which God takes joy in, God.