Romans 8:35-39:
Who can separate us from Christ’s love? Can trouble or hard times or harm or hunger? Can nakedness or danger or war?It is written, “Because of you, we face death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be killed.” No! In all these things we will do even more than win! We owe it all to Christ, who has loved us. I am absolutely sure that not even death or life can separate us from God’s love. Not even angels or demons, the present or the future, or any powers can do that. Not even the highest places or the lowest, or anything else in all creation can do that. Nothing at all can ever separate us from God’s love because of what Christ Jesus our Lord has done.
I can remember when I was a small girl singing, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” My mother taught me this song as a toddler in our Sunday school.
Do you know the song? More importantly, do you know for a fact that Jesus loves you? Can you personally say that you have truly experienced God’s love?
I began to know that Jesus loves me when I was a young adult. He really loves me. Maybe I thought that this was a little embarrassing to admit. After all, why do adults need to know that God loves them?
It was quite different when I became older. I met him in a much more powerful and personal way. I was stunned when I met the Jesus I know now. I became so immersed in his great love for me; I wanted everyone to know about this love. I came to experience and to know, not just with my head, but also with my heart.
Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Or, to put it differently, can anyone or anything cause Christ to turn His back on us? The answer is no. It is impossible. Not even our own sin can separate us from the love of Christ.
The phrase “the love of Christ” refers not to our changing love for Christ, but to Christ’s infinite, unchanging love for us. Yet some people love their misery and do not want the misery to be taken away. They revel in it. Such people have no hope. But Jesus invites all who are burdened, weary and sick of their misery to come to him; little ones, old ones, middle-aged ones – all men and women.
This Jesus died for us, was raised for us, is seated at the right hand of God for us, and lives forever to make intercession for us. And the fact that a holy, eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, merciful, fair and just God loves me is nothing short of astonishing. And here’s the good news: God loves you, too, … nothing can separate us.
Dr. Marion J. Miller is the pastor of Later @ St. Luke’s, a 6 p.m. multicultural worship service located at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 W. 86h St. For more information, call (317) 846-3404, email millerm@stlukesumc.com, or visit www.stlukesumc.com.
