WEDNESDAY
This week marks the second of our two conference weeks in the devotional. During these weeks when we have guest speakers scheduled, the devotionals take a different format since I typically write them based on the previous Sunday's sermon. When I'm not preaching, I take a different approach.
For these two weeks, we are exploring some stories and texts that didn't make it into this campaign. Due to conference week preparations, I'll keep my commentary brief.
I wanted to include this text in the week I talked about the believer’s eternal security in Christ, but I either forgot or I ran out of space. I don’t remember. So you get it today.
This is one of the more powerful statements in all of Scripture of how God will fight for his people. I’m not going to make any comments on it. Let’s just read it and ask the Lord to assure us of the truth that Paul declares—nothing will separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. God is for us, so who can be against us? He is fighting for us and he will be victorious.
Romans 8:31–39 (NIV)
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.