Devotion 7.24.26

Romans 8

"33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

  we are regarded 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 sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

If God is for us, who can be against us? (v 31) Nothing can separate us from the eternal steadfast love of God. 

"My dad can whip your dad." That was the famous cliche one liner from my era as a kid. I don't know if we ever said that exactly, but we did have "whose dad is the greatest" conversations (in occupation, in accomplishments in our own eyes). My dad was great in many ways, but he was also very human in truth. He loved me though, and he took care of me and saw me through college (along with my mom). His love endured regardless of my own shortcomings, and they were many as well. My dad was very faithful to me, and nothing I know of could have separated me from that. Disappointed maybe. Hurt, perhaps. But nothing could have separated me from my father's love.

God, in the form of the Trinity, is a great God. He gives us our faith, born from the Spirit in the Word and water combined in our baptism. That faith comes from the sacrificial act of obedience from God, the Son. The obedience that followed the Father's perfect Will to the road to the cross, where he suffered, died and was buried. He rose after three days to give us eternal life with the Father through the faith we are freely given as well. This is a faith no earthly power, nor fallen power, can take from us. Sin, Satan, and death are defeated. Christ is the victor. God loves his creation and he loves those who believe in Him. Nothing can separate us from that love.

Our God is great. God is good, all the time. Nothing can separate us from him.

Pray with me: Gracious and merciful God, I know in my heart you are there for me and others who believe in you. Help me to show that in my attempts to be faithful to you. Forgive me when I am unfaithful. I know of your faithfulness to me as a baptized child of yours. Help me to grow stronger through turning to you daily, not just in word, but in action as well. I praise you for your mercy and give thanks for your grace given daily. In your Son's name, Amen.

Hope Men's Ministry is a ministry in service to Hope Lutheran Church and School. Our purpose is to grow, unite, and share God's Word to all men through meaningful activities. These activities center on fellowship, service, conversation, prayer, study and devotion as we seek to become men of God as He created us to be.