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You find them in chapter 8.  They are groans of expectancy directed to God.  Apart from Him all human efforts are futile ones. God´s answer is going to be wonderfully fulfilled in His ultimate plan of salvation.

The first one is the groanings of the creation.  ”For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.” v. 22. Many attempts are made to make our environment more ”green”.  Fond hopes are cherished concerning the coming international climate change conference coming up in December in Copenhagen.  But the painful groans in the mistreated work of creation that longs for ”the glorious liberty of the children of God”  (v.21) only God can relieve.  And He will in due time – in a coming messianic age.

The second one is the groanings of the believer.  We do have ”the firstfruits of the Spirit” (v.23), i.e. a foretaste of the glory of the eternity, and we do enjoy the wonderful freedom in Christ Jesus.  We also have the Spirit of adoption (v.15), but we´re waiting for the adoption itself, the redemption of our body (v.23) which is the only part of us that is not yet redeemed.  We groan for that day. For the full bliss of adoption with all its wonderful implications is waiting for us.

The third one is the groanings of the Spirit. v. 26.  We may groan and sigh out our weaknesses, especially when it comes to prayer.  But that is not the real problem, for ”likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses”. In other words,  He identifies Himself with our weaknesses and together with us He brings before the Throne our groanings “which cannot be uttered”.  And up there more holy incense is added to our prayers before God´s Throne (Rev. 8:3-4).  Those who wring their hearts in pain before God  these days on the lonely battlefield of prayer know what I`m talking about.  Such prayer warriors are also able to testify of the relief of the Spirit that goes with the pain.

To the frivolous, self-complacent and superficial Laodicea-church so common in this part of the world ,this kind of speech makes no sense.  But God´s very own living in His presence with His word as the only source of light in this darkness take much comfort in these truths as part of the whole “package” of salvation given us in Christ Jesus.  The best service we may do to one another is to point to that ”river of life, proceeding from the Throne of God and of the Lamb” (Rev.22:1).

-jn-