Romans 8:38-39
I would like to begin this devotional with something Paul said earlier in this chapter:
“If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:31 NLT)
I believe that is at the heart of what Paul is trying to communicate here. Nothing external can separate us from God's love! It doesn't matter what comes our way, for we are secure in Christ. In fact, Paul said he was convinced of that fact—and he would know, for he certainly had been through the wringer a time or two!
In spite of all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ! We are secure in His love, His care, and His provision.
Sometimes I think we forget why we are here. This world is not our paradise; rather, it is our battleground, especially when we have committed our lives to Christ. We now have a target on our backs. The enemy will certainly take his shots at us, but we have an endless supply of strength available to us through God!
I am reminded of the video game Zelda, where, in order to advance to greater levels, you had to defeat the giant guarding that level. Sometimes you needed to regroup, replenish your life, gain more experience, and acquire better weapons until you were strong enough to take on that giant.
Real life is somewhat like that, but here is something I need you to understand: The game is fixed!
God already knows the outcome, and through Christ, the victory has already been secured! That doesn't mean we won't face battles that seem beyond our ability to handle. In fact, sometimes they will be. But nothing we face is beyond God's ability to sustain us, strengthen us, and bring us through.
And yes, our faith will be tested. God can use even the most difficult circumstances to develop perseverance, deepen our trust in Him, and strengthen us spiritually. Faith doesn't grow much when it is never exercised, and we don't learn to trust God in the difficult places if we never encounter difficulties.
When we begin viewing life's challenges from this perspective, it changes how we respond to them. Instead of seeing every obstacle as a potential defeat, we begin recognizing opportunities to experience God's faithfulness and grow stronger in Him.
As we discussed yesterday, there are times when we may be tempted to question God's love because of what is happening around us. But time and experience teach us that as we remain in Christ, dwelling under the shadow of the Almighty, we can rest in the assurance that nothing can separate us from His love.
Consider the beautiful promises found in Psalm 91:
“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”
The psalmist goes on to describe God as our refuge, our place of safety, and our protector. He speaks of being sheltered beneath God's wings, guarded by His faithful promises, and watched over by His angels.
What a wonderful picture of the security we have in Him!
These promises were written thousands of years ago, and the same truth is affirmed by Paul in Romans 8. They are just as relevant today as they were when they were first written.
But notice something important. Neither the psalmist nor Paul is teaching that God's people will never experience hardship. Paul certainly did! Rather, they are reminding us that our security is not found in the absence of trouble, but in the presence and faithfulness of God.
Our victory is not necessarily in escaping our circumstances, but in knowing that our circumstances cannot separate us from the One who loves us.
That is why Paul could declare with such confidence that neither death nor life, neither fears about today nor worries about tomorrow, nor anything else in all creation could separate us from the love of God revealed in Christ Jesus.
He wasn't merely hoping this was true. He was convinced!
And that is where I believe God wants us to be—so thoroughly convinced of His love that the circumstances of life can no longer persuade us otherwise.
Think about how Paul began this chapter: There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And now he concludes it by declaring that nothing can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus.
No condemnation. No separation. Overwhelming victory through Christ!
What more could we ask for?
God's love will never fail us!
“If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:31 NLT)
I believe that is at the heart of what Paul is trying to communicate here. Nothing external can separate us from God's love! It doesn't matter what comes our way, for we are secure in Christ. In fact, Paul said he was convinced of that fact—and he would know, for he certainly had been through the wringer a time or two!
In spite of all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ! We are secure in His love, His care, and His provision.
Sometimes I think we forget why we are here. This world is not our paradise; rather, it is our battleground, especially when we have committed our lives to Christ. We now have a target on our backs. The enemy will certainly take his shots at us, but we have an endless supply of strength available to us through God!
I am reminded of the video game Zelda, where, in order to advance to greater levels, you had to defeat the giant guarding that level. Sometimes you needed to regroup, replenish your life, gain more experience, and acquire better weapons until you were strong enough to take on that giant.
Real life is somewhat like that, but here is something I need you to understand: The game is fixed!
God already knows the outcome, and through Christ, the victory has already been secured! That doesn't mean we won't face battles that seem beyond our ability to handle. In fact, sometimes they will be. But nothing we face is beyond God's ability to sustain us, strengthen us, and bring us through.
And yes, our faith will be tested. God can use even the most difficult circumstances to develop perseverance, deepen our trust in Him, and strengthen us spiritually. Faith doesn't grow much when it is never exercised, and we don't learn to trust God in the difficult places if we never encounter difficulties.
When we begin viewing life's challenges from this perspective, it changes how we respond to them. Instead of seeing every obstacle as a potential defeat, we begin recognizing opportunities to experience God's faithfulness and grow stronger in Him.
As we discussed yesterday, there are times when we may be tempted to question God's love because of what is happening around us. But time and experience teach us that as we remain in Christ, dwelling under the shadow of the Almighty, we can rest in the assurance that nothing can separate us from His love.
Consider the beautiful promises found in Psalm 91:
“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”
The psalmist goes on to describe God as our refuge, our place of safety, and our protector. He speaks of being sheltered beneath God's wings, guarded by His faithful promises, and watched over by His angels.
What a wonderful picture of the security we have in Him!
These promises were written thousands of years ago, and the same truth is affirmed by Paul in Romans 8. They are just as relevant today as they were when they were first written.
But notice something important. Neither the psalmist nor Paul is teaching that God's people will never experience hardship. Paul certainly did! Rather, they are reminding us that our security is not found in the absence of trouble, but in the presence and faithfulness of God.
Our victory is not necessarily in escaping our circumstances, but in knowing that our circumstances cannot separate us from the One who loves us.
That is why Paul could declare with such confidence that neither death nor life, neither fears about today nor worries about tomorrow, nor anything else in all creation could separate us from the love of God revealed in Christ Jesus.
He wasn't merely hoping this was true. He was convinced!
And that is where I believe God wants us to be—so thoroughly convinced of His love that the circumstances of life can no longer persuade us otherwise.
Think about how Paul began this chapter: There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And now he concludes it by declaring that nothing can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus.
No condemnation. No separation. Overwhelming victory through Christ!
What more could we ask for?
God's love will never fail us!
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