Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39KJV
Some years ago I had the pleasure to visit the Hoover Dam. It was amazing to see how such an infrastructure enables the reservoir of water from the Colorado River to remain contained and yet allow just enough to flow out and help bring LIFE to the towns off its nearby banks.
God has designed mankind to be the very channel in which the river of His Love and Life giving flow ought to flow out from. God being the unending source of such greatness, desires for us to come in touch with the great reservoir of His goodness!
Paul here challenges the hearers in the Church of Rome to figure out what possible infrastructure both seen and unseen, both spiritual and unspiritual, could possible keep God’s love from flowing out. There is nothing that can keep Him from giving His love! But as I read some of the things Paul listed, I found that these are the very things that could keep us from both receiving and channeling His love unto others.
When we who are Redeemed in Christ allow fear, hate, trials, opposing powers, demonic principalities, and all as Paul mentioned to get the better of us and be the object that blocks you from receiving from Christ then what happens is you begin to dry up and will find it hard to still love others even when they seem so unlovable.
To love other does not mean you agree on all that pertains to life, but it means that regardless where one is at, because you contain the only source of unconditional love (Jesus Christ), then there is no reason as to why you cannot show it forth. As freely you receive, so freely give.
Opposing powers could very well be the powers we read about in news headlines today that are being practiced out in our very own Government. Regardless of whether or not you agree, as a Christian it does not position us to dictate as to who is deserving the pure righteous love of Christ from your life. But because things such as this does not block or cut off ourselves from daily being recipients of the love of God, we have no reason to fear or be angered by our flesh, though all reason to carry a holy anger by the spirit, ever mindful to keep the battle against principalities and not putting a face or name to it.
It is amazing the effect the sun has when it shines and becomes visible. It could be spring, summer, autumn or winter and regardless the season, just shine some light, and everything looks beautiful and awakens any person from a drowsy sleepy state.
Don’t let the cloudiness of despair put you in a place of doubt as to whether or not Christ is still on the throne. Like clouds in the sky, these things too shall pass, but it is important to note that as a Christian we been given the very responsibility in Christ to wage a good warfare and not sit dormant as life goes on! This is the responsibility of every believer to assume the ministry of prayer. If one doesn’t cultivate a prayer life, then that one’s Christianity can be greatly question, because the place of PRAYER is the very essence of communion with the God you claim to be in covenant with. You cannot have covenant without communication, just as one can never enter into a relationship with another without ever talking to them.
As Paul, I too am fully persuaded that not one things can hinder the love of God in Christ Jesus that was shown from the beginning at the Garden of Eden, throughout the Old Testament years and then further magnified at the cross and lived out today!
The Love of God in Christ manifests itself in various ways; but it all stems back to His love. In such various ways as a Christian we are encouraged to also manifest. As Paul later says to the Corinthians, that though he could preach, prophesy, give to the poor, correct, rebuke, and so on, but if love is not the root and reason, then it all profits nothing. (1 Cor. 13)
If nothing can separate us from the love of God, then may we not be the very thing that would try to separate others from seeing and receiving such love through our lives. Be bold, speak truth and compromise not, but let Christ’s love be your reason and let such passion be the drive that causes you to pray for others, love your enemies and be a voice against the snares of the enemy!
The Lord Bless
Comments