You can listen to this devotion here.
We are in the Time of the Church, that part of the Church
year that comes after Pentecost and is sometimes remembered as the Trinity
Season. In this part of the Church Year the second reading comes from one of
the New Testament letters, or epistles; so this is often called the Epistle
Lesson. We work our way through these epistles generally hitting the
highlights, but also reading most of the book. This Sunday is the 8th
Sunday after Pentecost, and the Epistle reading is from Romans 8:28-39. Romans
8 is a very important chapter because it speaks so powerfully and fully about
the impact of the salvation we have in Jesus. In fact when we read this lesson
on Sunday, we will have read the whole chapter this year. We read Romans 8:1-11
on the 5th Sunday of Lent, and we will have read the rest of the
chapter over these last three weeks.
Romans 8:28-39
A comment about predestination is necessary here. People
often have some angst and confusion on the doctrine of predestination. Much ink
has been spilt on this topic, and people still find it difficult because they
wonder about their non-Christian friends. The first thing we must keep in mind
when we talk about predestination is that there is nowhere in the Scriptures
that says that God predestines people to hell. His will is for salvation for
all people. This is Jesus died to pay for the sins of all mankind and not just
those who believe in him. Predestination is actually supposed to comfort us. It
is a statement that – yes, indeed, you are supposed to have this faith,
forgiveness, eternal life, and all of God’s blessings that are seemingly too
good to be true. How sweet it is to hear that, although our sins deserve
punishment and separation from God, through faith in Jesus we are exactly where
we’re supposed to be – reconciled to God and living in his love and grace.
Now does that mean that nothing bad will ever befall us once
we believe in Jesus? Of course not! But notice that this reading tells us that,
“for those who love God all things work together for good….” This means that
even the bad things that happen to us are things that God uses for our good.
Now, perhaps we should be clear that, “for our good,” does
not always mean that we will be wealthier, have more fun, or enjoy the
experience. Honestly, some of the most painful experiences in my life, as I
look back at them, have been God’s tools to help me learn to walk by faith and
live in His grace. A friend of mine once told me that she thanks God for
allowing her to have breast cancer because He deepened her faith so much during
her treatments, fear, and suffering. You see, when we think of what is good in
God’s economy it is that we grow in faith, trust Him more deeply, and develop
and abiding confidence that nothing can separate us from His love.
Paul expounds on that teaching asking, “If God is for us,
who can be against us?” Remember, God chose you to have this faith. God gave
his Son to die for you. Do you think that now he is going to turn his back on
you? No, indeed! He will use whatever you are experiencing to
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Show you His faithfulness as you go through
trials and struggles.
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Show you your sin calling you to repentance and then
to give you His forgiveness.
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Shape you, teach you, guide you.
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Equip you to reach someone in the same situation
with his Word, to be able to minister to them, sympathize with them, comfort
them, pray with them, and point them to Jesus.
God wants you to know that no matter what is going on in
your life, nothing can separate you from His love. You are his – and not even
death can separate you from him. So what we generally consider to be the worst
thing that can happen to a person – that they die – cannot separate us from the
love of God in Christ. And nothing that life can throw at you can separate you
from God’s love. And if there are spiritual or political or any other powers
out there working against you – they can’t separate you from God’s love. And if
you ever doubt that, if you ever feel like you are far from God’s love or that
He’s turned His back on you, look at the Cross. Jesus willingly gave Himself
for you there. His blood cleanses you from your sin. You are that loved.
Prayer
Father in Heaven, You love and mercy are shown to us in
Jesus’ death and resurrection. He paid for the sins of all of humanity,
including ours, and because He redeemed us we know that we belong with You.
Thank you for loving us so much. Thank you for making us your people and
working all things for our good, for we do love you, Father, and would love you
all the more as we go through life. You know that we still wrestle with our
sinful nature, that the good we would do we don’t and that we are wretched in
our sin. Please forgive us again and comfort us with the promise that Your love
never wavers. Fill us with the conviction that we are more than conquerors
through Jesus’ victory, and that nothing can separate us from your love: not
death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation. We pray in
Jesus’ name. Amen.
“Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
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