No Really, Who is it About?
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Romans 8:35-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Believing these verses to be true, how is it possible that we ever have a “bad day?” Really, just think about it for a minute. If we truly believe that nothing can cause God to stop loving us, why do we so often make it all about our little lives, and our little troubles? This is a rhetorical question, of course, and I am really having this conversation with myself. But you’re welcome to eavesdrop!
So where is my joy? Where is my thankfulness? Where is my focus? I’ve shared with you that I’ve read Rick Warren’s
The Purpose Driven Life several times. And the first sentence in the book is: “It’s not about you.” I know this. I believe it. I accept it. And I continually forget it. For heaven sakes, Jesus died on the Cross for me! What am I whining about?! That is all the proof we need that God loves us beyond trivial inconveniences in our day, problems at our jobs, disputes with family members, and even illness and injury. I say that with much bravado, as I have never experienced a life-threatening disease.
I would hope if that ever happens, and I start to make it about me, someone will read these verses to me as a reminder of whose I am. God is my physician and caretaker. That’s enough. Heaven awaits. Scary yet exciting. Nothing can separate us from the love of God! Nothing! Do not worry about your life – Jesus said that too. And he’s right. First of all it does no good to worry about things. Second, Jesus has assured us our future is in good hands. Finally, it’s not about me! It’s about God!
Sometimes when I don’t know what to pray, I simply repeat over and over, “only You, Lord, only You.” What a difference there would be in my life if I repeated that all day long, every day as a reminder of who it really is about. Only Jesus. Only Jesus.
My prayer today is that you remember whose you are. And that you remember who it is really all about.
Mary
