"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:38-39
I hope you have met Jesus Christ and have seen His love for you, personally. In these verses for today, we read of the extent of His love for us. In our day “wishy-washy” love is sadly the norm. Miserably, people run from friend to friend, and spouse to spouse because they have no earthly idea how biblical love works or the commitment to the object of love that is required.
“For I am persuaded,”
There are few things in this life that we can be absolutely certain of. The old timers used to talk about the uncertainty of everything but “death and taxes.” The Apostle Paul shared with the believers in Rome some things of which he was confident. As we look through chapter 8 we can see why Paul was so sure; the believer has both the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ God’s Son helping him.
Paul said, “For I am persuaded.” He had seen God provide for him in some challenging circumstances. The first seven things he mentions in this passage read like an autobiography of his life, (8:35-37). Paul had experiential proof that His God always met his needs! In our verses for today, he lists some circumstances that most every believer will face at some point in his/her lifetime. And yet Paul’s confidence was in His Lord. He never wavered in his trust. Can you say that about God, I completely trust in Him? I know He will never stop loving men!
“That neither death nor life,”
So many lost people fear death. For the child of God, death is just the means by which we enter our Lord’s presence for eternity. The process of death may not be pleasant, and we may tend to fear it, but even there He loves us. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me,” (Psalm 23:4). Even in death, He will love me!
Life brings fear for some. We don’t know what is coming to us in life. The trials and temptations we may face during our lifetimes, if we knew of them now would lead us to panic. But the Lord knows what’s ahead, and His trials are tailor-made for us. Regardless of what I face in life, He will love me!
“Nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,”
Can good angels separate me from God’s love? Never! And why would they want to?
Can demons separate the believer from God’s love? Though they try, they will fail!
Can influential people or even demonic rulers separate us from God’s love? No! That is impossible!
“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us,” (Romans 8:37).
“Nor things present,”
The hard times you might be facing today cannot separate you from the Lord’s love for you. As I write this today, there is a believer in Asia who is facing imminent surgery and who hasn’t the money to pay for it. Will what seems like unimaginable hardships separate the Lord’s love from this dear lady? Never! Will we face anything today that will take us from the Lord’s love? No!
“Nor things to come,”
Is there anything coming tomorrow that will separate us from His love? No!
Did you notice in these verses that only our present and future is given? Why not our past? For God’s child who handles his sin God’s way, his sin is under the blood, never to be brought up again by the Lord. Jesus loves me, and He has forgiven me.
“Nor height, nor depth,”
Can our success in life, or prosperity, make a barrier between us and God’s love? No!
Will our failures or even poverty keep our God from loving us? No!
“Nor any other creature,”
In all of God’s created universe is there any person or any other being who can separate us from our God’s love? No, no one, nor anything! It’s impossible!
“Shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
According to God’s Divine Word, nothing can remove God’s love from us. So why do we worry?
O Love, That Will Not Let Me Go1
1. O Love, that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
2. O Light, that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to Thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in Thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.
3. O Joy, that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.
4. O Cross, that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from Thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.
I have learned that My God Is Love, and He Will Always Love Me!
1. “O Love, That Will Not Let Me Go,” Lyrics: George Matheson (1842-1906). Music: Albert Lister Peace (1844-1912). Copywrite status, public domain. It is said that George Matheson was going through a major trial in his life when he wrote this gospel song in just five minutes.