I Cannot Be Separated from the Love of God
My daughters were five and three years old when their mom sent them in to model their new outfits for me. As their dad, I “oohed and aahed” over how beautiful they looked. Becca, at three years old, was satisfied with that and toddled back to Mom. But my older daughter, Abby, climbed into my lap for some snuggles. I seized the opportunity to ask a question that I had asked many times throughout her childhood.
“Abby, do you know why I love you?” (This may seem like a strange question but bear with me).
She answered, “Because I’m smart and I’m beautiful!?” (Gotta love a kid with confidence!)
I responded by saying, “Those are things I love about you. But why do I love you?”
“Because I’m your daughter.”
“That’s right. And why is that so important?”
“Because that can never change.”
I believe that my children are more secure as individuals because they know that there is nothing in all creation—illness, accident, or their own sinful choices—that can separate them from my love. I will always love them because they are my son or daughter.
The Apostle Paul assured 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.” (Romans 8:38-39, ESV)
What a tremendous promise! There is nothing in all creation that can separate us from the love of God. This brings true security.
Do you believe this truth when you are going through a hard time? The context of these verses is Paul’s saying that even in persecution and suffering, we are more than conquerors through Christ. Nothing can ever separate us from His love (verses 35-37). Even if persecution or suffering ends with the death of the believer, we can be confident that “the mortal has been swallowed up by life” because “to be away from the body is to be at home with the Lord” (see 2 Corinthians 5:1-10).
But what about our sin? Doesn’t the Bible say our sin separates us from God? Isaiah 59:2 does say, “your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear” (NIV).
Remember: a good rule of interpretation is ‘Every text has a context.’ In Isaiah 58 & 59, God is chastising His people for practicing religious ritual while being hypocrites and oppressors of the downtrodden. A few verses later, the Lord says, “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” And, “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you…” (vs. 20, 21). Our sin impacts the harmony of our relationship with God, but nothing in all creation can break the relationship or separate us from His love.
In the opening story, my daughter responded based on feeling. She felt loved by me after I told her how beautiful she was. But we all know that moments of good feelings come and go. Life can be very challenging. We make wrong choices that have negative consequences. We suffer because we bear the name of Jesus. Others make decisions that impact us negatively. The reality is that we live in a fallen world where sin, self and Satan have great influence in our lives.
But the wonderful news of the gospel is that based upon the accomplished work of Christ and our faith in Him, “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” (Rom. 8:15, NIV)
Dear Saints, our security cannot come from this world. Take heart in knowing there is nothing in all creation that can separate you from the love of God. And there is nothing more secure than being snuggled in the arms of our loving, all-powerful, everywhere-present Heavenly Father.
Do you know why God the Father loves you? I hate to break it to you… it’s not because of how smart or beautiful you are. The Father loves you because you are His child through faith in Jesus Christ! And that can never change.