Ten Things Powerless Against God’s Love
Do you feel bewildered and helpless? Might powerless currently describe you? It’s likely for many people today. We aren’t alone in these emotions. The believers in ancient Rome shared them also.
To combat such defeatist attitudes, Paul wrote an encouraging list about ten things powerless against God’s love.
Someone among the Romans might have sent Paul a letter like this: “You know, with events in my life lately, it’s pretty hard to believe God loves me. On top of everything else, my relative died. Does God’s love stop at death?”
Sun-struck Lily
Paul answered the question in the middle of his letter.
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor demons, neither the present or 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.” (Romans 8:38-39)
He boldly organized his list starting with the biggest fear.
Communication channels established in the empire meant that though the Roman believers hadn’t yet met Paul personally, they could have learned stories about Paul’s stoning at the hands of the Judaizers, beatings, imprisonment in Philippi, or his shipwreck. When life made the second item on his list, he had good reason to put it there.
Though the angels are curious about why God loves us, and the demons prefer we believe it can’t exist, they too are powerless against the fact of the promise.
No hurricane, wildfire, earthquake, war, riot or computer hacker has any effect on God’s love.
There’s no operating government, or any location on the planet that can keep God from loving us, either.
So make use of Paul’s list of ten things powerless against God’s love. Repeat it often, and stand sure.
Ruth De Maat
Heidi Kortman
Joy Avery Melville
Heidi Kortman