There are many things that can bring separation in life and divide people from other people. We may experience a form of physical or geographical separation, emotional separation based on self-preservation, social separation based on conviction, and so on. Human beings are born into this fallen world with different ideas, desires, and inclinations. Not everyone will like us or agree with how we think or act. We were not created to be a people-pleaser; we were created to be God-pleasers. To please God, we are invited to bring every idea, every desire, and every inclination and lay them at the feet of Jesus for his examination.
If we come to Jesus, he will take each one of us on a journey toward his righteous standard; he begins with a spiritual separation from the sins of the world. Because we belong to Jesus, he has the authority to separate us from the things operating in our flesh—ideas, desires, and inclinations—that may not reflect his character. This is a positive separation from negative things that harm our union with God.
In our passage today, the Apostle Paul reminds the early believers in Rome that although God is separating us from the world and our flesh in order to draw near to us, we can never be separated from God’s love by anything. Satan is the accuser and the thief and when he comes to rob, kill, or destroy, our loving Lord is there advocating for us and protecting us. And let’s not lose sight of a great spiritual truth: God the Father is loving us into eternity and is committed to conforming us to the glorious image of His Son.
Romans 8:31-39 NLT Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep” (Ps. 44:22). 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[rulers] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving us the way you do; conforming us to the image of the Son. We want to cooperate with your plan in making us new creations in Christ Jesus. No matter what we face each day, help us learn to rejoice and praise you. Everything will work together for good for those who love you and are called according to your purpose. In Jesus’ name. Amen.