Romans 8:35-39
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Years ago—when we were newlyweds, a new pastor was called as the senior pastor of our church. On his first Sunday he spoke of his joy at becoming the new pastor and wanted to introduce his family to the congregation. As the family came to the platform, he started to introduce them beginning with his youngest son. As he reached out to place his hand on the boy’s head, the boy ducked and put his hand up as if he was about to be struck. It was quite some time before the laughter subsided enough for the rest of the family to be introduced.
Sadly we all too often react to God in that same manner, expecting to be struck at any moment. The love of God is so far beyond our human concept of love that we lack words to describe that love poured out in our behalf. I really feel pity for those believers who seem to go through life in a spiritual crouch, waiting for God to strike.
Many people dread the time when we are all destined to appear before the Lord God. That is why it is so very critical that our sins are covered by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We are reminded of the symbol of this in the Passover which preceded the release of the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt. They were commanded to take an unblemished lamb, kill it, and apply the blood to the doorposts of their houses. That was the only way of escaping the plague of the death of the firstborn.
Without the blood of Jesus applied to the doorposts of our hearts, there is no salvation. We can do countless good works but that will not save us or make us fit for heaven. It is only by confessing our sins and receiving Him into our hearts that His blood covers us and protects us.
While I cannot understand this, I fully accept it by faith since the Bible says it is so. With that in mind, we who have had our sins covered by the blood of Jesus do not have to fear the judgment of God. He looks down and sees only the blood of His dear Son, applied to our life.
One of the most precious hymns ever written was one by F. M. Lehman in 1917. It is called The Love of God. The third and final verse of this hymn was not written by Mr. Lehman. It is reported that the words were found scrawled on the walls of an insane asylum. They are perhaps the most sane words that mankind could ever write:
“Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry,
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
though stretched from sky to sky.”CHORUS:
“O LOVE OF GOD, HOW RICH AND PURE!
HOW MEASURELESS AND STRONG!
IT SHALL FOR EVERMORE ENDURE,
THE SAINTS’ AND ANGELS’ SONG.”
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
— Pastor Cecil