In Romans 8:31, Paul begins with a couple of questions. First, he asks, “What, then, shall we say in response to these things?”
- What, then, shall we say in response to these things?
- What, then, shall we say in response to the coronavirus?
- What, then, shall we say in response to the uncertainty of this time?
- What, then, shall we say in response to the fact that food and necessities are flying off of the shelves faster than we can get to the store to purchase them?
- What, then, shall we say in response to the economic crisis that is happening?
- What, then, shall we say in response to “self-isolation”, “social distancing,” to curfews and travel restrictions and the closing of “non-essential” stores?
- What, then, shall we say in response to not being able to go to my favorite Mexican restaurant and eat unlimited chips and salsa? (alright…so I will still throw in food jokes, even in letters. It’s part of my charm.)
- What, then, shall we say in response to our life being flipped on its head?
- What, then, shall we say in response to these things?
These are good questions, and there are many more. How much of what is being said is true? Will this virus come into my neighborhood? Will it come into my community? Will it come into my home? Will I be affected? What will happen if someone I know dies from this disease? What if I die?
These are tough, tough questions, and to be honest, we don’t really know the answers to many of them. Sure, we can guess, we can speculate, we can ponder or reason, but if we are honest with ourselves, we recognize that we really do live in a period of uncertainty. We just don’t know.
In his letter to the Romans, Paul continues in verse 31, by asking another, more important question, one that helps with having peace about all of the answers to the first question and all of the other questions that come up. He asks, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
- If God is for us, who can be against us?
- If God, the Creator of all, is for us, who can be against us?
- If God, the Alpha & Omega, the First and the Last, is for us, what can stand against us?
- If God, the Light, the Life, the Truth, the Way, the King of all Kings, the Lord of all Lords, the God above all other gods, if God is for us, what can possibly come against us and prevail?
Paul continues in verse 32-35,
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
This God, this Creator, this Redeemer, this King, this Ruler, this Power, this Authority demonstrated his love for us by giving us Jesus. Will he not also take care of us through this? Will he also not love us through this time? Will the trouble we face, the coronavirus, the fear, the uncertainty, separate us from God’s love? Of course not!
As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul finishes up the passage in verses 36-39 by saying that nothing, not one thing, can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Not one thing. Not the coronavirus. Not the lack of toilet paper. Not eating ramen noodles for the next month. Not leaving the house except to get the essentials if we get to leave at all. Not one thing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.
Friends, this time is tough, and we do not know if it will get tougher before it gets better. We do not know what tomorrow may bring or the changes that might come with it. However, we do know this: “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” More than conquerors. Better than victors. We can have confidence in our God, in God’s love, and in the knowledge that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. That should fill us with peace. That should fill us with hope. That should fill us with the confidence to know that whatever our circumstances, we do not face them alone. God is with us, not only that, but God is for us. And “if God is for us, who can be against us?” Amen? Amen.
You are all in my thoughts and prayers.
Pastor Chris
