The Epistle: Romans 8:26-39
The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then are we to say about these things? 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? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 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.
Let us Pray: Almighty God, as a church we daily pray that “Your Kingdom Come” but most of the time we so often live in ways that prevent its coming. We spend too much of our time trying to build our own human kingdom, putting ourselves, rather than you, as the center of our lives. Send your spirit to remind us that you are “First” and others are “Second” and we are “Third”. Amen
Back in 2020 I deviated this week and wrote on the Scripture of Romans 8:26-39. The Epistle for this week. There were two reasons: First I really like this scripture from Romans, and I found the Gospel a very difficult one to do a reflection on. I made some modifications to my original reflection and reposted it.
This scripture examines the promise that God has not abandoned “us,” and is in fact working totally on our behalf. It shows God provides us with the reality that withstands and has the power to overcome all our fears, doubts, and insecurities. There is something very intimate about suffering with others. When grief is shared, a connection is formed and the bond is often strong enough to overcome other significant differences such as culture, race, gender, and religion. this kind of shared suffering and the bond that we are invited to understand and embrace as part of our identity in God. God is for us. God is on our side. As past and present have been the focus of God’s action on our behalf, so also is the future. A future that at this moment is uncertain. Without the future hope of God’s involvement in the lives of the suffering might amount to little more than a feeble expression. Together, the actions of God on our behalf testify to a fierce, compassionate love from which nothing in all creation can separate us. Sometimes we can only learn great lessons of faith when we face difficulties. God’s plans are not always our plans, because his plans carry a greater purpose. Sometimes he has to let bad things happen to us so that our lives and plans are realigned with his plans for our lives. God chips away at our lives like a sculptor chips away at a block of stone. In both cases, excess waste material is removed so we can become more like Christ. Moreover, as humans, we are accustomed to believing that unplanned changes caused by a crisis are not our friends because they tend to threaten and upset the balance of our nature and livelihood. However, what looks like unplanned changes to us maybe God’s plan according to His purpose. But can God use a crisis to bring about His goodness and mercy to an individual or a nation? Since crises are the pathway to new opportunities in the journeys of life. Even though we do not always know why God allows bad things to happen to us. It is enough for us to love him and know that he is there for us. God speaks so that we may be made more like Jesus. When we trust in Christ, we are his forever. The plans of the Lord always carry with them the potential to move us to a new level of experience. According to His purpose, God can allow changes when it is necessary to fulfill his plan. He says I know my plans for you are good, to bring you to an expected, or a successful end. Hence, the Lord gave us the Bible as our guide and light to lead us in a dark world by which He assures us of the future. He is sovereign over the affairs of men. The writings of the scripture are enough proof of the plan of God to us.
Let us pray Life-giving God, heal our lives, that we may acknowledge your wonderful deedsand offer you thanks from generation to generation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reflections by Bob 