“For I am convinced 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.” Romans 8:38-39 (Context: Romans 8:18-39)
After choosing these verses to write about, I re-read them and was struck by a word I had overlooked – “us.”
This promise of never being separated from God’s love is made to the community of believers. All of us who claim Jesus Christ as our Lord are connected to each other through God’s love for us and our love for Him.
The followers of Jesus Christ come from many different walks of life. We come from different racial and ethnic groups, from different social and economic backgrounds, we have varying levels of education, speak different languages, and we have different political leanings. Yet all of these differences pale in comparison to what unites us. We are united together through God’s love. And as Paul states in Romans, nothing can break that bond.
I have always found great comfort in these verses. The reality that through my relationship with Jesus Christ, I and everyone else who calls Him Lord can never be separated from God’s love and from each other.
Janice Ladd
Janice is a founding member of Servants of Christ and has served in many roles supporting mission ministries. She is currently the Missions Team Leader.