Creation Groans

A couple weeks ago, I read an article about how lionfish are taking over Atlantic waters. Because they are predators, and because the Atlantic ocean is not home to their natural predators, the lionfish are beginning to run the show in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. But as I thought on this a bit more, they are just doing what they were created to do...

So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."
Genesis 1:21-22

Then yesterday I was watching a couple of cats. The neighborhood cats tend to congregate in my front yard, but they don't seem to get along... Anyway, one had been in my garage, rubbing around my legs, and had left  to sun itself in the yard. A few minutes later, another cat came up, and tried to approach the first. What followed was about a three minute face-off. The first cat hunched down and hissed at the second cat, who had his hackles raised. And as I watched this, I thought of Romans.

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
Romans 8:19-22

God created all creatures to live in peace, but when Man sinned, creation was corrupted. And as bad as that is, Man's corruption is the pinnacle. If it is bad that the animals fight and die, it is even worse that God's image bearers fight and suffer and die.

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Romans 8:23

The more that I see sin (not specific sins, but just the sin nature, and the fallen-ness of the world) ravaging the bodies and minds of the people I love, the more I groan with creation for Christ's return.

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Romans 8:23-25