GOD'S EVERLASTING LOVE – Tomorrow:
"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 Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who 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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39, NKJV)
"For I am persuaded that neither . . . things to come . . . all be able to separate us from the love of God which in Christ Jesus our Lord."
There have been generations who have been given grievous messages from God about "things to come."
Noah was warned of a flood that would destroy every living thing. "And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die" (Gen 6:17).
Abraham was told that his offspring would be in bondage for 400 years. "And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years" (Gen 15:13).
Joseph was forewarned of a grievous seven-year famine. "And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; and the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous" (Gen 41:30-31).
Eli was told of the blotting out of his family name. "In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever" (1 Sam 3:12-14).
Jeremiah was told of the coming Babylonian captivity. "And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years" (Jer 25:11). Hezekiah was also told of this captivity and of the things that would befall his own sons. "Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon" (2 Kgs 20:17-18).
There have been godly men who have had to live with the knowledge of a dark and foreboding future. They had to live by faith under the cloud of impending Divine judgment.
Jesus told His disciples of the coming decimation of Jerusalem. "And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Lk 21:24). He told them of the rise of false prophets and christ's, famines, pestilence, earthquakes in divers places, and :"fearful sights" (Matt 24:7; Luke 21:11).
Paul told of the days when "seducing spirits and doctrines of demons" would dominate the church. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (1 Tim 4:1). He also spoke of "perilous times." This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come" (Tim 3:1-5). There is also a word concerning a "falling away." "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God" (2 Thess 2:3-4).
Those in Christ Jesus have been apprised of things that can strike fear into the heart. The only way to avoid this result is to live by faith, knowing the Judge of all the earth will do right, and that He will not forsake His own.
Jesus spoke of a time when men's hearts would fail "them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth" (Lk 21:26).
The dread of coming things has struck fear into many a soul! Some have even been gripped with fear at the possibility of what MIGHT occur in the future, even though there is no revealed basis for their fear. Whether are speaking of things God has declared, or the prognostications of mere men, our text is a precious elixir that can calm the heart and soothe the spirit.
All such fears are neutralized, and will eventually flee from us, if we are persuaded "things to come" are incapable of separating us from God's love. Anything that is to come, regardless of its power, intensity, or longevity, will be bearable if God continues to love us. That is a truth upon which you can reckon.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You through Jesus Christ that many stormy and impetuous waters cannot quench Your love.