Romans 8:36-39

Have you ever felt like a particular verse or chapter in the Bible was written specifically for you? It's probably a bit vain of me to think that Romans 8 was written just for me but I kind of do. Don't get me wrong. I'm glad other people can get something out of it too but I really feel like I can take ownership of it. I think this is a good thing. I think we should  all learn to read the Bible as if God was speaking it straight to us, individually, like there is no one else in the world. Because...He kind of is.

Anyway so often I find myself in Romans 8. I really love every bit of it. No matter what I'm going through I can pick up this chapter and wrap it around myself like a warm blanket. I thought it would probably be a good thing to journal about. And since this is my journal you all get to read it :) Nice huh?

It would probably make more since to start with verse one but for those of you who know me, you know I'm a bit backward anyway, so I thought I'd start at the end.

Romans 8 NASB

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

I really like what the Message says at the end of verse 39 too: absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. 

What powerful imagery! Imagine a hug from Jesus so encompassing, so tight that nothing could separate us or get in between us. Really all God ever had to do to show us love was to send His Son. And. He. Did. Just saying the Name. Jesus. It's saying, "God loves me." You ask Him if He loves you and He says, "Jesus." That is so powerful. Are you convinced of it? For me, this is faith. Being fully convinced of God's love for me. If I can be sure of that, then nothing else matters. Why worry about anything? This can be easier said then done. I know, but for me, it's truth. All I have to do is remind myself of it or even read this verse and I feel it like a crashing wave against my soul. His love is stronger then anything that would try to rip me away from Him, even myself. It makes me just want to give up everything for Him...which kind of brings us to verses 36 and 37, which I know in and of itself can be hard for some to bear.

Romans 8 NASB
 ³⁶ Just as it is written,
   “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”
 ³⁷ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.
And in the MSG:
   They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
   We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. 

When you put into context with all that He has done for us, it makes these verses a little easier to swallow. When you remember, Jesus and what that means it makes it a lot easier. In fact you can begin to feel the same. We have to get it through our heads that this life is...well...it sucks. Ok? It's not fair. There is darkness. There is death, and sickness, and poverty, and starving children and there is real evil out there. There are real evil people. Some know this in ways that I never want to know. Some have no idea. It is all working together to rip us apart. By "us" I mean ourselves and the Father. I mean ourselves and each other. His body. But we have to read on and see that what He did is bigger then that. Jesus is bigger then anything that would try to separate us. And that? That is fact. That is hope. That is faith. That is His all encompassing, all consuming, never failing, always present, in the good times and bad. Love. For. You. See yourself in His arms and read verse 38 and 39 again. Hear Him whisper that name, Jesus, in your ear and know that He was sent just for you. Nothing can separate you from Him.