“I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39, NLT)
“Fifteen-year-old David Marks, eyes blurred with tears, left home with a dollar in his pocket to preach the gospel. The “boy preacher” soon created a stir in the American northeast, and he kept going for the next 25 years. He rode one horse 19,000 miles, preached to thousands, organized churches throughout New England, published books, wrote articles, taught school, and worked diligently in opposition to slavery and in support of foreign missions. Then he died from sheer exhaustion at age 40.
Just before sunset on May 13, 1828, Marks rode into the little town of Ancaster, Ontario, announcing he would preach in seven minutes in the park. A small crowd gathered, and he asked if anyone had a text he would like to hear preached. A man mockingly said, “Nothing!”
Marks immediately began preaching on “nothing.” God created the world from “nothing,” he said. God gave us laws in which there is “nothing” unjust. But, Marks continued, we have broken God’s law and there is “nothing” in us to justify us. There will be “nothing” to comfort sinners in death or hell. But, while Christians have “nothing” of their own in which to boast, we have Christ. And in him, we have “nothing” to cause us grief, “nothing” to disturb our peace, and “nothing” to fear in eternity.
Finishing his sermon, Marks mounted his horse and traveled to the next village. But some time later he returned to Ancaster. This time a larger group assembled, and the meeting house was opened to him. David preached “something” to them. He said there is “something” above all things. There is “something” in man designed to live forever, but there is also “something” in us that makes us unhappy. There is “something” about the gospel that reverses our unhappiness, “something” that gives us hope. There is “something” that will disturb the impenitent in death, but “something” resides in Christians that the world can’t understand, and “something” in eternity to give us everlasting joy.
All that from an uneducated young circuit rider, his mind filled with Scripture and his heart full of Christ, who had “something” to say—and “nothing” to fear.” (Robert J. Morgan, On This Day)
“Nothing” has a lot to do with today’s scripture. In it, we are told that “nothing can ever separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:38). NOTHING! If you want to be with God right now, you can. Just close your eyes and pray toward heaven. In moments, God’s Spirit will be with you. If you need God’s grace and forgiveness right now, nothing can stop it from happening if you desire it faithfully. If you need it, Heavenly arms can encircle you where you are.
If God wanted to, God could bless you with great riches in this second. God could take you to heaven in this moment. God could redeem your soul or ease your heaviest burden. It would be easy for God to do this right now. Nothing on earth or in heaven can stop God from acting. Satan can’t stop it. Bad people can’t stop it. You could be in the deepest, darkest hole in the ground and that wouldn’t stop God from being with you. Even if you didn’t want to be with God, God could walk with you. God could speak to you and be present to you. Nothing can stop the love of God from blessing you. All you have to do is seek it.
Jesus said, “Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be open to you!” (Matthew 7:7). All God wants is for you to ask for His grace, seek His wisdom, and knock at Heaven in prayer. Then, God will act. God’s love is waiting to be unleashed on our world, ready and willing to be at your direction. Nothing can stop God from being present. What will you do?
A mother of three young girls was cleaning the church, as was her job, when she heard a person crying. Fearing someone had been injured, she sought out the sounds of tears. When she came to the sanctuary, there was a young woman seated in the front row. She must have slipped in unnoticed through the propped open door that the mother used for taking out the trash. The mother approached the woman cautiously, then sat in the pew behind her. She then said out loud, “I’m just going to say a short prayer and leave, Ok?” The woman nodded. The mother reached out and touched the woman’s shoulder and prayed silently for God to be present. Then, the mother went back to her work. Later, as she looked in on the crying woman in the sanctuary, the mother noticed that she had left.
For the mother cleaning the sanctuary, that was the end of the story. For the woman, it was not. The woman came to me later to say that because of some big mistakes in her life, she felt like giving up. As she contemplated suicide, she came to the sanctuary and asked God why HE never, ever was around. That moment was when the mother, who cleaned the church, came in to pray with her. After the prayer, the woman wondered why the cleaning lady had prayed with her. Then, God spoke to her. God told the young woman that HE had personally led the cleaning lady to her in that moment. God was all around that young woman. God had been hearing her. God had been present. The woman had not been paying attention and had previously been oblivious to how close God had been.
Just when you get the stupid notion like God doesn’t care or isn’t around or doesn’t hear your prayers, this scripture gets to remind you that NOTHING can separate you from God. Even death cannot stop the love of God from being present if you are one of the faithful who seeks it (Romans 8:38!).
Isn’t it nice to know that not only does God know you, but God also loves you more than anyone has ever loved you? He’s waiting to speak with you, even now….
Just before sunset on May 13, 1828, Marks rode into the little town of Ancaster, Ontario, announcing he would preach in seven minutes in the park. A small crowd gathered, and he asked if anyone had a text he would like to hear preached. A man mockingly said, “Nothing!”
Marks immediately began preaching on “nothing.” God created the world from “nothing,” he said. God gave us laws in which there is “nothing” unjust. But, Marks continued, we have broken God’s law and there is “nothing” in us to justify us. There will be “nothing” to comfort sinners in death or hell. But, while Christians have “nothing” of their own in which to boast, we have Christ. And in him, we have “nothing” to cause us grief, “nothing” to disturb our peace, and “nothing” to fear in eternity.
Finishing his sermon, Marks mounted his horse and traveled to the next village. But some time later he returned to Ancaster. This time a larger group assembled, and the meeting house was opened to him. David preached “something” to them. He said there is “something” above all things. There is “something” in man designed to live forever, but there is also “something” in us that makes us unhappy. There is “something” about the gospel that reverses our unhappiness, “something” that gives us hope. There is “something” that will disturb the impenitent in death, but “something” resides in Christians that the world can’t understand, and “something” in eternity to give us everlasting joy.
All that from an uneducated young circuit rider, his mind filled with Scripture and his heart full of Christ, who had “something” to say—and “nothing” to fear.” (Robert J. Morgan, On This Day)
“Nothing” has a lot to do with today’s scripture. In it, we are told that “nothing can ever separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:38). NOTHING! If you want to be with God right now, you can. Just close your eyes and pray toward heaven. In moments, God’s Spirit will be with you. If you need God’s grace and forgiveness right now, nothing can stop it from happening if you desire it faithfully. If you need it, Heavenly arms can encircle you where you are.
If God wanted to, God could bless you with great riches in this second. God could take you to heaven in this moment. God could redeem your soul or ease your heaviest burden. It would be easy for God to do this right now. Nothing on earth or in heaven can stop God from acting. Satan can’t stop it. Bad people can’t stop it. You could be in the deepest, darkest hole in the ground and that wouldn’t stop God from being with you. Even if you didn’t want to be with God, God could walk with you. God could speak to you and be present to you. Nothing can stop the love of God from blessing you. All you have to do is seek it.
Jesus said, “Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be open to you!” (Matthew 7:7). All God wants is for you to ask for His grace, seek His wisdom, and knock at Heaven in prayer. Then, God will act. God’s love is waiting to be unleashed on our world, ready and willing to be at your direction. Nothing can stop God from being present. What will you do?
A mother of three young girls was cleaning the church, as was her job, when she heard a person crying. Fearing someone had been injured, she sought out the sounds of tears. When she came to the sanctuary, there was a young woman seated in the front row. She must have slipped in unnoticed through the propped open door that the mother used for taking out the trash. The mother approached the woman cautiously, then sat in the pew behind her. She then said out loud, “I’m just going to say a short prayer and leave, Ok?” The woman nodded. The mother reached out and touched the woman’s shoulder and prayed silently for God to be present. Then, the mother went back to her work. Later, as she looked in on the crying woman in the sanctuary, the mother noticed that she had left.
For the mother cleaning the sanctuary, that was the end of the story. For the woman, it was not. The woman came to me later to say that because of some big mistakes in her life, she felt like giving up. As she contemplated suicide, she came to the sanctuary and asked God why HE never, ever was around. That moment was when the mother, who cleaned the church, came in to pray with her. After the prayer, the woman wondered why the cleaning lady had prayed with her. Then, God spoke to her. God told the young woman that HE had personally led the cleaning lady to her in that moment. God was all around that young woman. God had been hearing her. God had been present. The woman had not been paying attention and had previously been oblivious to how close God had been.
Just when you get the stupid notion like God doesn’t care or isn’t around or doesn’t hear your prayers, this scripture gets to remind you that NOTHING can separate you from God. Even death cannot stop the love of God from being present if you are one of the faithful who seeks it (Romans 8:38!).
Isn’t it nice to know that not only does God know you, but God also loves you more than anyone has ever loved you? He’s waiting to speak with you, even now….