Nothing can separate us from the love of God
Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish 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 victorious through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! Romans 8:35-39 In the context of God having a personal relationship with us, there is no doubt that God is for us. Nothing we could ever experience, no matter how horrible or terrifying, could ever separate us from the love of God when we placed our trust in Him. No trial and grief we might ever suffer could be so intense that God’s love for us is not even more steady and strong. From the text, Paul was describing what he was going through. He experienced tremendous persecution because of his faith yet no matter how painful the experience was, there’s nothing that can provide comfort except God’s love. Paul’s assurance of God’s love was based on what God has done. “He did not even spare His own Son but offered Him up for us all” (Romans 8:32). To understand God’s love based on our circumstances could lead to confusion. This might lead to doubting God’s love that could also lead us to stop trusting Him. God promised that we would never be separated from His love once we place our faith in Him. But do not forget that He did not say that we would be shielded from experiencing hardship, persecution, poverty, or danger. When you start to doubt God’s love because of the severity of the trial that you are going through, consider the life of Jesus. Once you are settled in your mind that it was because of God’s love that Jesus has to die on the cross, such realization will forever settle any questions you might have about God’s love. You will approach difficult circumstances with dependence in God and with the knowledge that He has a purpose for these circumstances. Being confident that there will never be anything that could separate us from God’s perfect love, we will start to anticipate seeing how God expresses His love in each circumstance. Instead of questioning God’s love when trying times come, let us focus on Him, trust Him that He will be there with us. “Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman
www.my-wbc.com
