Passage: Romans 8:18-27 

The Spirit is the first fruits of our future glory!  Suffering and glory are two strong themes to hold together as though wedded with no possibility of divorce.  First there is the suffering and glory of God’s creation; and secondly, the suffering and glory of God’s people.  It helps to know as Jesus reminded us that in this world we will have suffering, but there is a greater glory to come in which there is no more suffering.