The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently” (Rom. 8:19-25, NIV).

Having grown up in a Christian home, having gone to a Christian university, having taught in Christian colleges, and being familiar with the Bible from toddlerhood, I have no idea how I missed understanding for so long the truth found in this passage from Paul’s letter to the church in Rome: the creation itself, in its own non-human nature, looks forward to the coming of Christ just like we do.  In his paraphrase of this passage, J. B. Phillips elaborates on just how much creation looks forward to the Consummation: “The whole creation is on tiptoe to see the wonderful sight of the sons of God coming into their own.” 

But reflective of Adam’s task to understand, care for, and name the animals, note that the creation is looking expectantly for something from us: it is eager to so see us “coming into [our] own.”  Nature has been suffering under God’s righteous, man-disciplining curse (Genesis 3:13-19) and under the abuse of sinful mankind and it is looking forward to our being sinless, Eden-like stewards once again.  Simply said, we are not what we should be, and nature knows it.  Every time animals flee from me or try to attack me out of perceived self-defense when I mean them no harm, I hurt.  Don’t you?  And when wild animals do take the risk to venture close, I thrill at being trusted. 

Eden resides down deep in us—and in the animals.  O how I long for that day when things will be even better than Eden and trust returns between us and the creatures.   Margaret Clarkson’s poem “Expectation” from her poetry collection All Nature Sings, expresses this longing in a way that has long touched my soul:

Expectation

This glowing dawn,
all nature stands on tiptoe
waiting
drenched in wonder.

Grasses nod
soft air breathes
leaves sigh
petals stir
waters ripple
mists rise.

Birds loose shining shafts of song.

High in the blue
bright wings drift
hover and dart.

By fragrant brier
furred bodies freeze
nostrils twitch
whiskers quiver and stiffen
sharp eyes glance
sure paws flash.

Shimmering insects flit and fall.

On dewy thorn
the patient spider weaves
her jeweled web.

In weedy depths
of still green waters
shadowy forms gleam
silently gliding.

Breezes freshen
the morning quickens.

Washed in new gold
all nature waits on tiptoe
watching
wordlessly questing:

“Is this the day?
will it be soon,
the hour of earth’s redemption,
Life’s return?”