Thoughts for the Day

If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? .......

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Chapter 8 from Paul's letter to the Romans looks at 'God's elect', that is us, His people. Paul uses images of a prisoner at court to explain what he means. He argues that God supports us, and no-one can make a charge against His people, for He 'justifies' us. This word 'justify' is important, for it declares that we, though sinners, are declared not guilty before God. This is not anything to do with how sorry we are for our sin, but more to do with the free gift of grace given to us by God. It is impossibe to explain properly here in a few sentences, but perhaps we can hold the thought that we are freed from sin because Jesus took the penalty for us.

Which leads on to two wonderful thoughts: Firstly, that Jesus intercedes for us with the Father. He pleads on the behalf of all who have put their trust in Him that they will not suffer because of their sin - but will be saved. Secondly, that nothing can separate us from God's love as shown through His Son, Jesus Christ.

On a day when life is difficult, and there seems to be dark clouds over your life, hold on to the fact that you are never alone, and that you have Jesus in your corner supporting you and showing You how much God loves you.

Lord Jesus Christ,
help us to reflect on our sin
and acknowledge our mistakes.
When life is difficult
remind us that You are always there
to intercede for us,
and that we are never alone.
May we learn to ask for forgiveness
and move on with confidence.
Amen.