Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

Safe and Sound

 

ROMANS 8:34-39 – Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither 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, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

THEME OF THE DAY:  SAFE AND SOUND.  Perhaps you have said those words, or something like them, on the phone, in a text, or message to loved ones after arriving home from a trip.  I have.  I recall numerous times after a long twelve hour ride from West Virginia visiting my folks and arriving back in Rhode Island calling them with the words, “We made it safe and sound.”  Those are reassuring words of comfort and relief.

 

Today’s scripture may be likened to being “spiritually safe and sound.”  In living the Christian life, sadly, we daily fall short of God’s desire and too many times succumb to temptation. When we do, our spiritual foes seize those opportunities to sow doubt in our hearts and minds.  Once we stumble, these fiendish enemies come rushing in with many fiery accusations.  And if we entertain them in our thinking for just a moment, they will paralyze us spiritually.  Soon, if we listen to the lies of the devil and our condemning conscience, we will begin to question God’s love in Christ.  Then comes fear that God won’t forgive us; He has given up on us, and we are separated from Him.

Now that might not describe some of you reading today’s nugget . . . right now, but the devil gives no child of God a pass when he attacks our assurance of salvation and security in Christ.  Yes, it might not be today you are struggling like the petals on a daisy being pulled off, “He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me. He loves me not”, but that day will come.  And when it does, run to today’s scripture.  Embrace it.  Memorize it. Cling to it because it says, despite our failings and feelings, we are “Safe and sound.”   Why?  Not because of us, but due to the enduring promises and the covenant God makes with us that nothing, and that means ourselves even, can separate us from the love of Christ.  Nothing.  We are safe and sound in the everlasting arms of steadfast and everlasting love.

 

PRAYER: “Father, I praise You that my security is in Your truth not my conduct or feelings.”

 

QUOTE: “Nothing will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus and that includes ourselves.”

 

Because of Him,

 

Pastor Jim