Dear Friends of Green Trails:
My life is pretty much marked by three things. I hang out at Starbucks and work on sermons.
I go to Gold’s Gym four times a week over the noon hour. I gather with you all on Sunday mornings. Well Starbucks is closed. Gold’s Gym is shuttered. The sermon is recorded on Thursday in an empty sanctuary. To be honest, I feel pretty much adrift. I need to work on redefining myself a little bit.
Professionally, I am required to spend some time in Bible study. It probably would not surprise you that I do research for sermons, prepare Sunday school lessons, and plan for the classes at WOW. But recently, I have been reading through the Scriptures on a more personal level, beyond the requirements of my vocation. Like you, recent events have stirred a need in me for some Eternal Wisdom. Reading devotionally, I was led to this passage:
Romans 8:35-39 The Message (MSG)
31-39 So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
Hope this speaks to you as it has spoken to me.
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Your true friend,
Kurt