Scandalous Grace

"What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:31-32)

These two verses contain some of the most marvelous truths in all the Word of God. Notice first of all that God is for us. Let that soak in for a bit. The God who created all of this incredible universe is for us. And because that is true, the apostle Paul asks, "Who can be against us?" We know that we have an enemy, the devil, who is against us. We know that the world system is against us. So what can he possibly mean by that question. Consider this. Nothing and no-one is a significant competitor to God. No one can successfully be against us. You and God constitute a majority in any situation.

Another way to think of this possibility is to ask yourself, if God is on my side, what does it really matter who is against me? There is nothing in all of the created order that is close to competing with God for power and authority. God is for us.

Then when we come to verse 32, we have what may be one of the greatest prayer promises in all of the Bible. It is an argument from the greater to the lesser. God has already given us His Son to be our Savior, by allowing Him to bear our guilt and shame on a cross. Nothing that we ever ask for in prayer is of greater value than the gift He has already given. Since God has already given us the costliest gift, we can come with confidence with our prayers each day.

There is no resource on earth available to us with as much potential for good as that of prayer. When you come in prayer to your heavenly Father, remember these two truths. First, God is for you. He is on your side. Secondly, nothing you ask is as costly as the gift God has already given. Paul began, "What shall we say to these things?" These things leave us speechless. God is so good. He longs to bless us so much. Open yourself up to Him today.

Amazing Love

"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." (Rom. 8:38-39)

There is no adequate word to describe how much God loves us. The amazing thing is that His love for us has absolutely nothing to do with our merit. We do not deserve His love and we can never earn His love. He loves us because of who He is. I John 4:8 says, "God is love." It is His nature and essence. He is love.

The amazing truth is that there is absolutely nothing we can do to cause God to love us any more than He already does. And there is absolutely nothing we can ever do to cause Him to love us any less. He loves us because it is His nature to love. The Word of God says that He demonstrated that to us by the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Chapter 8 of the book of Romans is one of my favorite chapters in all the Bible. It begins with the truth that there is presently "No Condemnation" for anyone who is "in Christ." The chapter then ends with "No Separation." The incredible reality is that no matter what difficulties you may be presently facing in your life, they cannot separate you from God's love. Whatever you are dealing with today, remember this, God loves you incredibly beyond your ability to measure.

God created you for His purpose. And even though you have often sinned and failed in your life to live up to His creative expectations, God has never given up on you, and He never will. He continually loves you. As Rick Warren says, "God is not mad at you, He is mad about you." As you face today and this week, remind yourself over and over, "God loves me."