Romans Chapter Eight has been such a life transformational chapter in my life..
Yesterday, after blogging, I got on my elliptical for the first time since Joel went home. All the “first since” have been very difficult.. the first day I could no longer say, “Just yesterday, Joel said.. did..,” the first Sunday attending church with only three children, the first time in a store.. they are all terribly difficult because I don’t want to go on without him, I don’t want the world to go on without him. Why does it keep spinning under my
The elliptical was difficult partly because I just so needed it to help deal with the stress of grieving, difficult because it’d been over two months since I’ve exercised :-), and mostly difficult because Joel lived in the next room and I took so much pleasure in just knowing he was close all those times I’d spent on it before.
For weeks all I could pray was “I want Joel.” Just a week or two before, I had written a song under Holy Spirit’s direction out of Romans 8:32
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?
Doesn’t all things include my son?
I know the answers to my questions. I know that there are many who suffer much more than I, suffer in ways I can’t imagine surviving. I know that God is a good God; a God of justice, a holy and righteous God.
I know that had my sons not been at that birthday party that night that the shooter would have had at least 8 more bullets to spend on the other children at the party. Eight other children may have lost their lives.. and at least a few of them may have met eternity without knowing our precious Savior. I pray continually for them, for Tim, the shooter, and for others affected by Joel’s death. I pray for salvation, for revival, for hearts.
As the Lord has carried me through this time and shown me His care for us, the ways He has been preparing us for months, for years really, He has been gently showing me a bigger picture. I still don’t like it.. especially this part.. my heart is so broken… continually breaks over and over again.
But at my request, the Lord has gently begun redirecting my desires from longing for Joel to longing for more of Jesus, for revival, for Heaven again. The longing is often so great that I would easily give up my life to have it. I know Joel longed for Heaven that way, too. It’s only right. Jesus longed for us so much that He willingly died that horrible death on the cross for us.
Yesterday, while on the elliptical, while longing for Heaven, I had a new revelation from Romans 8. Did you realize that not even LIFE can separate us from the love of God?
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 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.
LIFE made the list of things that can NOT separate us. It’s right in there with neither angels or demons, neither the present or future.. nor anything else. Life that can be so messy, life that seams to tie us to earth can NOT separate us from His presence from His great love.
I so love His presence. I so love that we can walk without condemnation in Christ Jesus. I so love that we can set our minds on things that are above and truly live, Holy Spirit’s life living in us. I so love that I am His child!! I so love my inheritance of life, of freedom from fear. I so love that our present sufferings can’t compare to the glory that’s going to be revealed in us. I so love that all of creation groans with me. I so love that Holy Spirit intercedes for, in and with us. I so love that HE IS FOR ME. I so love that He works all things for my good. I so love that no one, nothing, not even life can separate me from His love.
Romans 8
Life Through the Spirit1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.Future Glory18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.More Than Conquerors28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 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? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? 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. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:“For your sake we face death all day long;we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”l37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 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.
If I listen carefully, especially to the later verses,so much music is written from a place of sorrow and suffering and great hurt. I heard a version of "God is Good" this morning that included a "thank you for friends who hold up my hands". Thank you to all Jenny's friends who are holding up this family's hands. These thoughts that she is sharing is coming only from His strength and your prayers are being heard.
Jennifer, I keep you in my prayers. I know God holds you carefully in His arms and in His hands. I love you! Suzanne
Waiting for a homeschooling mom to correct my grammer! 🙂
Those characters that make me prove I'm not a robot are very challenging to me, also.