Romans 8:26-39 (NRSV)
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Verse 26Likewise 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. Verse 27And 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. Verse 28We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
Verse 29For 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. Verse 30And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.
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
Recently I took my junior high kids to a climbing wall. Each of them carefully climbed up and when they couldn’t go any further, fell back into the security of the bungee cord which slowly dropped back to earth. Then one of my students got ¾ of the way up and, realizing how high she was, froze. Her eyes welled up with tears, her arms started shaking and she couldn’t move. We tried to coax her, we tried to convince her that the cord wouldn’t allow her to fall, but she didn’t care. Fear had completely paralyzed her.
Sometimes fear can paralyze us in the exact same way—forcing us to cling to things that give us a false sense of security. But the whole time, the love of God in Christ Jesus is there to catch us when we fall ... however, it helps if we can let go.
Prayer
Thank you, God, for loving the world so completely. I pray for all those who struggle with fear and anxiety. Calm their hearts and give them peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.