The creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. — Romans 8:21 Did you know that God’s plan of salvation includes more than the saving of human souls? For many Christians “Jesus saves” means that Jesus saves us from our sins, and that is true—but there is also much more. Jesus came to save the whole world, all of creation. So, when Jesus comes again, the world will not be obliterated—it will be renewed. The creation will no longer be subjected to the effects of human sin. It will be renewed, purified, and made whole. At the time of our first sin, the ground itself became cursed. And throughout human history we have often been a curse to the ground and to the air and the seas as well. We often spoil and wreck God’s creation rather than protecting, guarding, and cultivating it. In this situation, creation “groans” under the effects of the curse of sin. All of creation longs to be set free from this cursed state. The universe longs for Jesus to return, for his enemies to be conquered, and for his children to be revealed as his own. Then all creation will be set free, along with the children of God. O God, thank you for your solution of setting the whole world free from the curse of sin. Help us to guard and cultivate the world you came to save. Amen.