Thursday, July 24

THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2014

2 Chronicles 11:1–13:22

Romans 8:26–39

Psalm 18:37–50

Proverbs 19:27–29

 

 

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31,32)

 

 

Today’s reading emphasizes God’s sovereignty over each moment in our day and His omnipotence over nature and any other forces that might separate us from His love.  In short, all such forces cannot stand next to the uniting power of the blood of Christ.  Our union with God will stand through any perceived (but temporary) difficulties.  God will never abandon His children, and the events of our lives will fail to rupture the enduring relationship that He first initiated (“God so loved the world”).

 

This passage brought to mind two images that I would like to share with you.  Both relate to God’s sovereignty, even over our shortcomings and limitations.

 

Often, I find myself reflecting on life as something like a performance of a play.  Each of us plays a part and has our lines.  To the extent that we deliver these lines well, we may earn the audience’s esteem and the personal satisfaction of having performed well.  In the spotlight (of this image), however, we stand alone and pridefully rely on our own strength to “deliver the goods.”  Any botched lines, however, bring (again in this image) self-loathing or ridicule.  The actors approach each line with fear, worrying their way through their paces and protecting against error.  Any weakness may lead to a stumble.

 

Another image involves a person walking a tightrope over Niagara Falls.  A fall would bring certain death.  With the balancing pole in hand, the person flails his or her arms to prevent against disaster.  Each step comes fearfully and with hesitation.

 

In both images, the isolation represents a near-atheistic view of the world, where the principal characters do not experience the sustaining grace and mercy of a loving God.  Instead, they experience only judgment and wrath, left alone to pursue a righteous course.  Their chief motivation comes through fear, and their hearts race with anxiety, finding relief only at the end of a frantic effort.

 

Please contrast this scenario with the encouraging, edifying, and uplifting truth of Romans 8:38,39:

 

“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 any powers, neither 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.”

 

Paul has just posed the rhetorical questions:  “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”  The correct response is no one and nothing.  Still, in our fearful and temporary-focused hearts, we struggle to place our faith in the unseen and sustaining grace of our Abba Father.

 

In the acting example, a more accurate picture might involve a loving Father strengthening our minds, hearts, and bodies to honor Him through the performance.  We would not perform through our own devices, but rather experience the encouragement of love from the Father, with His arms on our shoulders.  Even with any missteps, He would speak truth regarding His enduring presence and encourage us to continue.  Through the performance, we would experience joy from knowing His love for us and the opportunity to glorify Him.

 

Similarly, with the tightrope example, this passage would suggest that we walk along with our King and that He will provide the security and even the plan to cross through the difficult crossing.

 

Both of these images emanate from the pride of wanting to justify ourselves.  This graceless reality causes us to live out of fear.  If we consider grace rightly, however, we recognize that God controls each moment and empowers us to handle the temporary and to trust Him for the eternal too.  Our motivation then turns from fear of disaster to expectation of God’s peace, security, and love.

 

 

Lord God, thank You for standing with us in each moment, especially our trials.  Thank You for interceding for us through the shed blood of Christ.  Thank You that nothing can separate us from Your love.  Thank You that our fear has a sure antidote in looking to You and trusting in You.  Thank You that our lives have meaning and purpose and that we experience our full personhood in living under Your authority and grace.  Help us to live for You and bring glory to Your Name.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

 

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