Romans 8:31-39 (NRSV)
Read Romans 8:31-39 on biblegateway.com
Verse 31What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? Verse 32He 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? Verse 33Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Verse 34Who 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. Verse 35Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Verse 36As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered." Verse 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Verse 38For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, Verse 39nor 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.
Devotion
This text is often used as a scripture at funerals. One great word of comfort is that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” But there is more here. Too often the hardest person for me to forgive is myself. We are reminded that God gave up God’s own Son for us all, in order to justify us. St. Paul continues, “It is God who justifies; who is to condemn?” In light of God’s justification, even I have no right to condemn myself. If God has forgiven me, then I need to forgive myself also. How freeing is the grace of God!
Prayer
Loving God, thank you for your forgiveness given to me through Jesus. Help me to forgive myself and others, reflecting your saving grace in my life. Amen.