For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
~ Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV)
~ Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV)
Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
~ Psalms 73:25-26 (NKJV)
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
~ Psalms 73:25-26 (NKJV)
The book of Romans is as rich as it can be. Chapter eight is dense with verses which carry us through our most difficult hours. Here is the climatic end. God gives us, through Paul, the words which assure us of His inseparable love.
We are fragile creatures who need constant reassurance of love. Whether or not we admit it to even ourselves, we fear rejection above all other fears. If we build walls around ourselves against love, it is to prevent rejection. Of all the hurts we can suffer, does any pierce more sharply than when we have loved and had our love scorned?
We need never fear such rejection from God. The only thing which can separate us from His love is the coldness of our own hearts. If we do not know His love it is because in our hurt we have hardened ourselves against Him.
This is likewise the one thing which hurts the Lord—that He would love us with all He is, then be rejected and have His love scorned.
Precious Abba, how often have we hurt You by brushing aside Your expressions of love? How often have we been too distracted to notice them? How often have things of this world been more important to us than You are? Please forgive us for such callous indifference! So move our hearts that there be none upon earth that we desire beside You. Thank You for your unfailing, inseparable love.
Feedback appreciated! Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
So true. I'll try and make an effort to appreciate all the things our Abba is trying to bless me with. I'm ashamed to notice so few when there are so many.
ReplyDeleteMay I never fail to see the precious gifts of love You leave all over my life constantly Lord.
ReplyDeleteOh this one spoke right into my heart. God has been trying to talk to me about this my whole life and in specific ways lately. I can't find words to express how grateful I am that He never rejects me.
ReplyDelete~ Wendy
Good Posting Annie. Yes, I occaisionally read some of them. God's "inseparable love" sounds a lot like God's Unconditional Love to me. And my faith tell me that even though I might reject God's love, He will never reject his love for me or for all his children. Just like a human parent who who never stops loving his or her children no matter what they say, don't say, do, or don't do.
ReplyDeleteLots of Love Always from Your imperfect human father,
Dad
Praise our Father, and His love for us
ReplyDeleteT. Anne and Denise, a recent blog pointed out that the cup is not half full vs. half empty, but OVERFLOWING in Him. Isn't this a great perspective? (I'm ashamed that who wrote it slips my mind at the moment. If you remember who said this please tell me!)
ReplyDeleteWendy, the security of His love is sustaining in EVERYthing. I need only to remember that sometimes.
Dad, thanks for the compliment. Thanks for your enduring love.
Russell, praise is indeed the fitting response to His love.
Oh, Anne, what a beautiful image of the Father holding onto our hand. Sigh. Such a place of well-being and feeling completely loved and accepted.
ReplyDeleteBecoming a parent has given me such a great understanding of God's desire for us to love Him by our own choosing, and living that out on a daily basis...and to think, I have only begun to understand His love for me.
What a beautiful journey we are on. I'm so blessed that YOU are on it with me!
Praying your weekend is especially blessed.
With love,
Amy
Amy! What a thought, that all the love of God we comprehend is just the BEGINNING of understanding! How I too love that we're on this journey together, and that we'll complete it together in His presence.
ReplyDelete