5/20/20 In, Not Out of Romans 8:36-39

Romans 8:36-39

As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure 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.

Psalm 44 reminds us that our persecution is not without precedent.  It has happened before and as before, You are not asleep nor will You be absent or without Your glory in the moment.

Paul connects our history with the present, he says "...in all these things we are more than conquerers."  Not out of these things.  Our conquering comes not by avoidance or removal, but by enduring them. You are faithful in our trials, not by keeping us from them.

A perspective check: For Your sake, we are killed all the day long.  It is not about me, it is all about You.  You were killed unjustly and we may be too if we are not separated from You.  Deliverance is not from, but in.

A number of months back was our second “founding fathers” for Cornerstone Dental, retreat. (Bill, Dan, Fred, Randy, and me.). Very sweet time remembering and telling old stories and catching up on what has happened in the intervening years.  Part of the reliving is a discovery of how those things have shaped us into who we are now.  How easy it is to forget Your faithfulness in the midst of those times, how easy it is to miss in the midst of things, Your presence, Your care, Your provision, and even Your comfort.  Remembering the steadfast love and faithfulness of the past strengthens our faith and trust, which gives us hope for the future, and inspires us to be present and loving in the present.  Seems like I remember someone saying once, “Now abide faith, hope, and love…”  Abide, what a wonderful combination of presence and endurance. 

It is good to see that You are indeed conforming us to the image of Your Son, maybe most especially in the suffering and sacrifice, and for that I am grateful.

LHM/CHM