Drafted with AI assistance, then reviewed, edited and approved by Jeff Robb. Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.
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Key passage: Romans 8:35-39 (KJV)
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 thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that 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 creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Reflection
Romans chapter eight begins with There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. And it ends with no separation. In between, Paul writes about the Spirit, about suffering, and about hope. And then he builds to this great finish.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Then he lists the hard things. Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword.
This is not a list from someone who had an easy life. Paul had been beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned, and left hungry and cold. He knew every item on that list firsthand. He isn't saying these things won't happen to believers. He is saying that when they do, they can't cut us off from Christ's love.
In fact he says, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Not by avoiding these things. In them. And not through our own strength. Through him that loved us.
Then comes one of the great statements of the Bible. 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.
Look at how complete that list is. Death and life. Every spiritual power. Time itself, whether things present or things to come. All of space, height and depth. And then, just in case anything was left out, nor any other creature. Nothing in all creation.
Notice too where that love is found. It is in Christ Jesus our Lord. It isn't grounded in how well we're doing or how strong our faith feels today. It's grounded in Christ. That's why it holds.
Many of us struggle to believe that God's love is that sure. On a bad day, after a failure, in a long trial, it's easy to wonder whether He has given up on us. Paul says to be persuaded otherwise.
So whatever this day holds, remember Paul's list. Then add your own worries to it. Neither this diagnosis, nor this loss, nor this failure, nor this fear. None of it shall be able to separate you from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Cross-references
Prayer
Lord, thank You that nothing in all creation can separate me from Your love in Christ Jesus. When I doubt, persuade me again. When trouble comes, make me more than a conqueror through You who loved me. I rest in Your love today. Amen.
For today: Name the thing that worries you most today, and remember that even it cannot separate you from the love of God in Christ.