And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. Romans 8:38
In the messiness of your life, do you believe that God will work in the middle of it? Have you ever seen God work in your life and wonder how it is all going to work out? The next point is God works with the messy parts of life for the good of those who love Him. Let’s read this passage of Romans 8:26-30.
26 Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Verse 28 is another verse that means a lot to me. How about you? Does this verse encourage or confuse you as you seek to reconcile your reality with this truth? It is okay to be confused as we are learning God’s truth. Just don’t harden your heart towards the Holy Spirit and what he is showing you. Paul is giving us hope in our suffering that God has a bigger plan in how the good and bad in this life can be used by God. Let’s remember Christ on the Cross. Christ’s crucifixion did not feel good but God worked through that suffering to bring good for all people through His sacrifice. Since God did this in Christ’s life, don’t you think he will do the same in ours? I believe it. God can take our greatest trials and transform them into our greatest triumphs. It is even beautiful in the middle of the hardships, the trials, seeing God at work. It’s Him letting you get a glimpse of His glory.
The last point is Circumstantial ease is not our measuring rod for God’s love for us. Read Romans 8:31-39.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For Your sake, we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I remember the first time I heard verse 31. I was at a church teen camp and the speakers wife wrote a song based on this verse. I clung to the song and even today when things are hard, I sing the song. Let’s make this passage a little more personal by putting our name into it. Here we go. Reread the passage and insert your name in it. For example verse 31: What then shall _____________ say to these things? If God is for ____________________, who can be against ______________. Continue to do this through the rest of the passage.
Nothing can stop or become between God’s love for us. Not death, life, angels, demons, fears, worries, powers of hell, the powers of the sky or the earth below, nothing in all creation. No matter what we go through here on earth, nothing can separate us from God’s love. If we ever are separate from God’s love it is because we walked away from Him.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for loving us so deeply. Thank you for making what is bad and hard and ugly, be work for your plan and purpose, and glory. I pray that we will trust you in every struggle we go through and trust you to make things good in your ways. I pray that we remember that you are for us not against us.
In Jesus Name
Amen
