Wednesday, June 27, 2024
What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39 CSB
What was Paul’s opinion of God’s faithfulness? What circumstances might make him doubt God’s presence? What was his conclusion? In the passage above Paul writes about the vast, deep, and everlasting love, presence, and faithfulness of God.
God Where Are You?
If God is for us He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything … God IS for us. Paul knew this without a doubt – God was for him – so in all his afflictions, he knew he could trust his faithfulness. This is the first step in trusting God. Knowing him and seeking him leads to a close personal relationship with him. When we know him, we know all his attributes, or the inherent qualities of his character. One of those attributes is love and one of the greatest truths in the Scripture is that in spite of who we are and though God hates sin, in spite of all this, God still loves us! It's amazing. When we don’t feel like he cares or still loves us because of the trials we are experiencing, we need to remember what he did for us while we were still sinners. He gave his son for us so we could be forgiven and have eternal life while we were dead in our sins. Would he really leave us or be mad at us for any reason now? He saved us and he loves us and that will be true for his children for all eternity. We must embrace this truth and trust that he is for us. Then we can lean into him in the middle of the storm. We can find peace.
Paul endured many afflictions and trials after he became a follower of Christ. Paul had many trials where he would have doubted God’s presence if he had not been assured of God’s faithfulness, but Paul knew that God was faithful. He had seen it in his own lifetime and time again. After being arrested and imprisoned in a sewer, shipwrecked, bit by a snake and having to spend winter on a barbarian island, he finally reached Rome, which is what his vision from God revealed. Even after all he suffered, when he reached Rome and met other Christians there, he thanked God and took courage. The words, take courage, in the Bible mean to give support, encouragement, or hope to others. Even in the middle of the trials of life, we can give hope to others. We can encourage others. We can be a testimony to the ever-present power, presence, and love of Jesus in our own lives, and we can lead others to him. Don’t waste your trial. God is doing something even when he is not doing what you want him to. He can use you – and your story for his glory in the midst of whatever circumstances you are sludging through.
Paul ended with Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul declared that he believed that nothing could separate us from God, and nothing would ever cause him to doubt the love or faithfulness of his God.
