#nothingcanseparate

We are embarking on a journey that leads to we know not where. A little like Abraham’s journey from Mesopatamia to the Promised Land: “And he went out, not knowing where he was going.”

Where is this coronavirus journey leading us? When will we get there? What will life be like on the other side of this health crisis?

What will the journey be like for those who get sick from this virus? Or for those who have a parent or grandparent or spouse or child or close friend who gets sick – or hospitalized? Will you know personally someone who dies from this virus?

And apart from the health risks, what will this journey mean for you economically? Will you still have a job? Will you still have a business? Will you be deeper in debt? Will you still be able to afford retirement when you planned? Will you still be able to go on that mission trip you planned? What will this mean for your education or job placement? What about your graduation ceremony or graduation party? What about your wedding?

Where is this journey leading us? What will life be like a month from now? 3 months from now? 6 months from now?

Two months ago, most of us had plans for 2020. We had no reason to think those plans would be destroyed. Businesses and churches are accustomed to doing long range planning with some degree of confidence. Individuals and families make holiday plans and vacation plans and graduation plans and wed-ding plans and family reunion plans several months in advance with no thought of those plans being cancelled. Yet here we are. Where is this journey leading us?

These words of James seem more relevant now than ever: “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanish-es. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15)

Anxiety abounds in the midst of so much uncertainty. Some are anxious about the COVID dis-ease itself – either for them-selves or a loved one. Some are afraid of dying. Some are anxious about quarantine issues. Some are anxious about other health concerns – wondering if they will be able to get adequate treatment in the midst of a COVID outbreak. Many are anxious about the economy and their job situation and their personal and family finances. Many are anxious about childcare concerns or educational concerns. Many are anxious about family members being cooped up inside together for weeks at a time.

What do children do when they are afraid or anxious or worried? They turn to their mother or father for assurance and com-fort. And parents seek to give their children comfort and assurance: “Don’t worry… everything will be ok. Nothing bad is going to hap-pen. We’re all going to be fine….” Sometimes we promise more than we can guarantee. The reality is, some bad things are going to hap-pen to some people in the days ahead – and none of us has the power to guarantee protection from those bad things for us or our loved ones.

What do children of God do when they are afraid or anxious or worried? We turn to our heavenly Father.

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” (Psalm 56:3-4)

And unlike earthly parents, God is able to fulfill all that He promises because He is holy and faithful and perfectly loving and all-powerful and all-knowing and Sovereign over all circumstances.

Does that mean that nothing bad will ever happen to us? No. That wasn’t the case for Paul or the apostles. That certainly wasn’t the case for Jesus Himself. Nor does he promise freedom from suffering for us – to the contrary, we are to expect it.

What then does our Father promise us? That we are His beloved, and that He is always FOR US. We are secure in His love. And whatever may come against us – He is always for us. And nothing can separate us from His love. And as long as we are secure in His love – no ultimate harm may befall us. Even death cannot harm us.

“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who 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.

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? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth be-low—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31-39)

NOTHING can separate us from the love of God – not even COVID-19. Are we promised immunity from trouble or calamity or persecution or suffering? No. But even in the midst of life’s trials – we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us.

If you get sick – God is for you. If you are hospitalized – God is for you. If you lose income – God is for you. If a loved one dies – God is for you. If your 2020 plans and goals are shattered – God is for you. If you are unemployed – God is for you.

How do we know that God loves us and is always for us? He did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all.

How do we know that there is absolutely nothing that has the power to harm us ultimately or to separate us from God and His love – not even death itself? Because God raised Jesus to life – and we are risen with Christ. God trampled the power of death by the death of Jesus. Christ is risen from the dead – victorious over sin, death and evil – and we are victorious in Him.

So do not fear. You are beloved by your Father in heaven. Whatever comes against you – Almighty God is for you. Therefore, despite all the scary things happening in the world today – overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us and gave his life for us and now lives inside us by His Spirit.

We are embarking on a journey that leads to we know not where. A little like Abraham’s journey from Mesopatamia to the Promised Land: “And he went out, not knowing where he was going.”

Where is this coronavirus journey leading us? When will we get there? What will life be like on the other side of this health crisis? What will the journey be like for those who get sick from this virus? Or for those who have a parent or grandparent or spouse or child or close friend who gets sick – or hospitalized? Will you know personally someone who dies from this virus?

And apart from the health risks, what will this journey mean for you economically? Will you still have a job? Will you still have a business? Will you be deeper in debt? Will you still be able to afford retirement when you planned? Will you still be able to go on that mission trip you planned? What will this mean for your education or job placement? What about your graduation ceremony or graduation party? What about your wedding?

Two months ago, most of us had plans for 2020. We had no reason to think those plans would be destroyed. Businesses and churches are accustomed to doing long range planning with some degree of confidence. Individuals and families make holiday plans and vacation plans and graduation plans and wed-ding plans and family reunion plans several months in advance with no thought of those plans being cancelled. Yet here we are. Where is this journey leading us?

These words of James seem more relevant now than ever: “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanish-es. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15)

Anxiety abounds in the midst of so much uncertainty. Some are anxious about the COVID disease itself – either for them-selves or a loved one. Some are afraid of dying. Some are anxious about quarantine issues. Some are anxious about other health concerns – wondering if they will be able to get adequate treatment in the midst of a COVID outbreak. Many are anxious about the economy and their job situation and their personal and family finances. Many are anxious about childcare concerns or educational concerns. Many are anxious about family members being cooped up inside together for weeks at a time.

What do children do when they are afraid or anxious or worried? They turn to their mother or father for assurance and com-fort. And parents seek to give their children comfort and assurance: “Don’t worry… everything will be ok. Nothing bad is going to hap-pen. We’re all going to be fine….”

Sometimes we promise more than we can guarantee. The reality is, some bad things are going to hap-pen to some people in the days ahead – and none of us has the power to guarantee protection from those bad things for us or our loved ones.

What do children of God do when they are afraid or anxious or worried? We turn to our heavenly Father. “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” (Psalm 56:3-4) And unlike earthly parents, God is able to fulfill all that He promises because He is holy and faithful and perfectly loving and all-powerful and all-knowing and Sovereign over all circumstances.

Does that mean that nothing bad will ever happen to us? No. That wasn’t the case for Paul or the apostles. That certainly wasn’t the case for Jesus Himself. Nor does he promise freedom from suffering for us – to the contrary, we are to expect it.

What then does our Father promise us? That we are His beloved, and that He is al-ways FOR US. We are secure in His love. And whatever may come against us – He is always for us. And nothing can separate us from His love. And as long as we are secure in His love – no ultimate harm may befall us. Even death cannot harm us.

“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who 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.

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? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth be-low—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31-39)

NOTHING can separate us from the love of God – not even COVID-19. Are we promised immunity from trouble or calamity or persecution or suffering? No. But even in the midst of life’s trials – we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us.

If you get sick – God is for you. If you are hospitalized – God is for you. If you lose income – God is for you. If a loved one dies – God is for you. If your 2020 plans and goals are shattered – God is for you. If you are unemployed – God is for you.

How do we know that God loves us and is always for us? He did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all.

How do we know that there is absolutely nothing that has the power to harm us ultimately or to separate us from God and His love – not even death itself? Because God raised Jesus to life – and we are risen with Christ. God trampled the power of death by the death of Jesus. Christ is risen from the dead – victorious over sin, death and evil – and we are victorious in Him.

So do not fear. You are beloved by your Father in heaven. Whatever comes against you – Almighty God is for you. Therefore, despite all the scary things happening in the world today – overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us and gave his life for us and now lives inside us by His Spirit.