Nothing Can Separate
By: Kristen L. McNulty
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Romans 8:35-38 says:
“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? (Even the Scriptures say, ‘For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.’) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away.”
Maybe today you're hearing those verses and are having a hard time believing them because let's face it- life can get rough sometimes. We all experience painful things that come from living in this fallen world and when you experience pain or heartache or persecution, it can be hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel or see God's love in the midst of the storm.
So when we get knocked down in life the enemy comes in and tries to convince us that God has left us. He doesn't care. And the only comfort available can be found by doing things we deep down know are wrong.
So what is the Christian to do in this situation? We need to remind ourselves who God is.
God is a God of love. He died on a cross because He couldn't stand the thought of eternity without us. And would someone who loves us that much leave us alone? No. So when you feel unloved, think of Calvary and think of the love it must have taken to get there.
And with that love comes a friend who never leaves and who always stands by our side.
The Bible promises over and over again, that God is near to those who are hurting. One example of this is in the Beatitudes (as found in Matthew 5) where Jesus said: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Jesus didn’t say they might be comforted if they follow a twelve step program or they most likely will be comforted if they’ve followed my commandments- He said they will be comforted.
The King James Version says "Blessed are those who mourn, for the shall be comforted." Lawyers will tell you that in the legal world, the strongest legal term is the word shall. In fact, shall is so strong that when it is used it literally means something that is inevitable- it’s going to happen no matter what. Jesus choose to use such strong a word because He was serious about that promise. No matter what you are going through, whether it’s just a circumstance of life or a consequence of a decision that you made, you will be comforted by God. It’s not a condition or a term of some agreement- it’s a promise that is available for you to claim.
So will you claim it? I know that right now there are some people hearing this who are hurting and are doubting that God will step in with His love. If that’s you, I ask you to pause with me for a second. Think about it. If someone loves you so much that they would die for your mistakes, would they really leave you alone when the going gets tough? I don't think so.
So today, remember the promises of God's word. He's close to the broken-hearted. He comforts those who are hurting. He sends peace the surpasses understanding. And He loves you more than you could ever imagine.
This devotional was aired as a part of the Making A Difference Christian Radio Show.