Romans 8:31-34 (NLT)
“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, wont He also give us everything else? 33Who dares accuse us whom God Himself has chosen for His own? No one—for God Himself has given us right standing with Himself. 34Who 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.”
What the Word is Saying
This paragraph is a look back at what Paul established earlier. A summary of sorts of the work that Jesus did for us. He died for us; he was raised from the grave so that we also will be raised unto life at the end of the age. He gave us victory over sin, breaking the hold and drive we had in us to sin against God. Therefore, as the word says, “if god is for us who can be against us.” We need not worry about what the world is saying to us or against us because we have been given right standing with God. He alone can judge us, and we have Jesus there beside Him pleading for us on our behalf.
Romans 8:35-37 (NLT)
“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.”) 37No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”
I think this is in a nutshell is what causes many Christians to stumble. We are told from the pulpit that if our relationship with God is right then trouble will not find us. I fell into this trap when I was a younger man. I had a friend at work who was a non-Christian. His beautiful four-year-old daughter contracted cancer. It was horrific watching him go through it. I told him I was praying for him, and I fully believed that God would do it. If nothing else for the witness it provides to God’s love. Sadly, she did not recover, and He was devasted. Too be honest I was devasted. I could not understand why Jesus would not heal her. I mean in my mind I thought this would be thing that bring many into the kingdom. It crushed my faith and honestly until recently I stayed that way.
My belief was that God could do it. He could heal, he could deliver us from circumstances contrary to what we see as His will, and He could answer the honest, fervent prayer of a believer. But for whatever reason he may choose not to. Be it his commitment to allow us to have free will and therefore He bound himself to let us be succumb to the effects of a sinful world. As I told a Theologian once I believe He can do it. I just don’t trust Him to do it. Those are honest words and I believe that God honors our honest words. I still don’t know why he chooses to heal one and not another. Frankly I will probably not find out until we are in eternity. But I trust that He has a plan. As Romans 8:37 says “despite these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”
We will not just have victory, but we will have overwhelming victory. That is a promise we all can believe and lean on. He is faithful to fulfill his promises and fulfill his word. We are supposed to be His hands here on earth. Bring His gospel to all nations, healing the sick, setting free the captives, and proclaiming the year of the Lord's favor. When we do our job is done. What he does with our actions is His responsibility. We don’t hold it in our hands but give it back to him. For He alone has the power and knows the Father’s will. He can see the whole picture; we only see part of it. Therefore, He knows what is best in every situation. Let's leave it to Him to do that.
If you are not yet a Christian these promises are not yours to have. I believe though that God has brought you to this blog for a reason. He is drawing you to Himself and leading you to His Son. Therefore, submit to His will and confess your faith in Him. Pray this prayer with me, right now where you are, speak it aloud. “Lord Jesus, I confess that you are Lord of all, I believe that you came to earth, died on a cross, and was raised from the dead on the third day. I confess to you that I am a sinner and I ask you to forgive me. Send me your Holy Spirit so that I may learn and know about you and what you are doing in me.” If you prayed that prayer, I would like to welcome you to God’s family. Be assured that God has forgiven you by the blood Jesus shed for you on the cross. He has removed as far as the east is from the west. It has been blotted out and your record is white as snow. I encourage you to find a church to attend. Maybe there is someone you know that is a Christian that can take you. Believe me when I say that we all have been where you are. We are all sinners saved by the grace of God. We consider it a privilege and honor to stand with you and hold you up as you begin your journey with the Lord.
Thanks for reading my blog today and seeking with me as we attempt to learn What the Word is Saying to us today!
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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