I have been reading through the book of Romans lately, and yesterday was contemplating the verses in the eighth chapter where Paul poses the question – “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” He then goes on to list several possibilities: “shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?” His conclusion is that no, for those who have been chosen by God to be called His own, there is “nothing in all creation that will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The battles that I face day by day pale in comparison to those listed by Paul. I confess that in my life thus far I have never had to worry about famine, nakedness or sword and the danger that I encounter comes more in the form of teaching a teenager to drive. My list would read more like – “shall sickness, or stress, or conflict, or my own stubborn indwelling sin separate me from the love of God?” Although my battles seem more like skirmishes, the answer remains the same – nothing can separate me from the love of God. For certain, these things may distract me and cloud my thinking, causing me to lose sight of the promise that the sovereign God who drew me to Himself will keep me for Himself, but nevertheless, the truth remains that nothing and no one can snatch me from the strong hands of my Father. I did nothing to earn His love and I can do nothing to lose it.
On the days when I am overcome by unworthiness or feel that I am faltering in the battles of everyday life, this truth encourages me – nothing can separate me from the unchanging, unfailing, unfathomable, undeserved, love of God.
