Jesus: In Romans 8:23, Paul speaks of a deep longing within my followers. The verse reads, “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”
Peter: Lord, Paul talks about a “groaning” in the heart. Is he speaking of the struggles we face in this world?
Jesus: Yes, Peter. This “groaning” is the ache of those who have received the Holy Spirit but still live in a world marked by suffering, sin, and death. The Spirit within you is like the first taste of the glory to come, but your bodies and the world around you are not yet fully redeemed. You feel the tension between the promise of eternal life and the struggles of life on earth.
John: This reminds me of when you said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Is Paul reminding us that we are waiting for the final victory?
Jesus: Indeed, John. Paul speaks of the “adoption” and the “redemption of our body.” Though you are already children of God through faith, the full realization of that adoption will come when I return. Your bodies, now subject to decay and weakness, will be transformed in that day. As I have said, “He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). You are awaiting the fullness of that promise.
Thomas: So, Lord, the “redemption of our body” refers to our resurrection? The day when all things will be made new?
Jesus: Yes, Thomas. Just as I was raised from the dead, so too will you be raised. This is the hope you carry—eternal life, not just for the soul but for the body as well. You are groaning now because the world is still groaning under the weight of sin, but the day is coming when “God shall wipe away all tears… and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain” (Revelation 21:4). That is the redemption Paul speaks of.
James (son of Zebedee): This longing is something I feel often, Lord. But it comforts me to know that the struggles of this life are not in vain, and that we are moving toward something greater.
Jesus: Yes, James, and until that day comes, the Spirit within you helps, comforts, and strengthens you. You are not alone in your waiting, for the Spirit is the guarantee of what is to come. Let this hope anchor your soul, and know that I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
