NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM GOD, EXCEPT OURSELVES
Denise Linton
Today's Scripture: “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? .... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:31,37, ESV
Theme: God fights for us; His love conquers all things.
FEAR OF THE DARK
We are not strangers to fear; it is instinctual. Think back to our early ancestors and the challenges that they faced. Survival was an endless battle with danger and uncertainty. Food had to be caught or harvested every day to feed themselves and their families. Every time they ventured out, they had to worry about predators that were also seeking food, like packs of wolves, tigers, and rival tribes. Every risk, every mistake could lead to injury or death. Our brains were prepared for survival through the flight or fight response.
I am thankful that I don’t have to fight a tiger or a pack of wolves on my way to the grocery store, yet fear still exists in our modern time. Fear of what the upcoming elections will mean, fear of losing a job, fear that our relationships might not work out, fear of being alone, or fear of sharing our faith with others. The fear we feel comes from the unknown, feeling uneasy, and being unable to control a situation.
In a study that was completed on Nyctophobia (fear of the dark), 54% of men and women rated the dark in their top five fears. This fear is based on our reliance on sight; darkness allows our imagination to run wild.
OUR RELATIONSHIP OF LOVE
In today’s Scripture, Paul reminds us that “God is for us.” He is there in the bright days when we feel like we can see Him working and on the darkest days, when we allow our imaginations to run wild. We have an unbreakable bond with Christ. But how do we know this? First, we need to understand our relationship with God. He loves us so much that he gave His own Son so that we can be with Him for eternity. “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32, ESV). The fact that God gave us this ultimate gift is unimaginable; how can we think He would not remain by our side?
It comes back to the fear of darkness, the physical and emotional hurts we endure through this life on earth. The only person who can separate us from His love is ourself. I know I have walked away from Him many times in my life, especially during those difficult times, feeling alone and thinking, “God, where are You?”
When my husband unexpectedly passed away many years ago, I blamed God and myself. For the next five years, I held on to the anger and loneliness and I questioned God’s love. Even when others attempted to share God’s truth and love with me, I continued to walk away from him. Even if I wanted to believe, I had yelled, cursed and been angry at Him for so long there was no way He would accept me. When I was finally willing to turn back, He was there waiting for me with open arms, no excuses needed.
There are all kinds of life-defeating, joy-stealing attacks to threaten our faith. Paul listed several in Romans 8:35-39: trouble, hardships, persecution, famine, nakedness, and sword. Paul is encouraging us to stand firm in our faith when those attacks come. God will not separate Himself from us; He will help us become conquerors in the end, gaining eternal life.
Make it Personal: Are you lost in the dark, your fear taking over and your imagination running wild? Nothing separates us from God’s love. With Him, we can conquer all things. If you are a believer and have accepted Christ as your Savior, you are a child of God. No matter how lost you get, He is waiting with open arms. His grace is waiting. Get back to your relationship with Him through your quiet time and attending services.
If you have not accepted God’s ultimate gift of eternal life through his Son, Jesus Christ, and have always been separated from Him, He is waiting with open arms for you, too. He is on your side and wants to fight for you. Come to Him, ask Him to forgive you for your sins and accept salvation through Jesus Christ.
Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your reminder in Scripture that You will not leave me; You are by my side and are fighting for me. Please forgive me for the times I have separated myself from Your love. Help me to not be afraid and to see You in the darkest days and in the brightest days. With You, I can be a conqueror of fear. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Read: Romans 8:31-39
Weekly Memory Verse: “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” Romans 8:15, ESV