Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?… No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 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.”
Romans 8: 35, 37-39 (ESV)
It’s true. In our better moments we know it. In our most difficult moments we want to, and have to, believe it.
That nothing can separate us from the love of God.
To believe that we are His, and from His perspective, nothing can ever separate us from Him.
My bride knows, on her birthday today and every day, that she is His. Always was, is now, and always will be.
And here we are, embracing and wanting to claim, needing to claim, that promise of God, while standing together on the threshold of a new day and a new year.
So, what now?
What’s next, as we look forward into the year before us with a sense of excitement, promise and hope, mixed with a measure of uncertainty, doubt and fear.
A reflection on the year just past brings to mind some difficult moments. But those same reflections remind us of hopes fulfilled, and of moments of growth, inspiration and change within our lives clearly orchestrated by our God with us.
Moments where we looked within and grew closer to Him, where we reached for the stars toward dreams yet unfulfilled, and were changed for the better, as God planted our feet on a path toward all He created us to be.
Reflections from before which remind us today of the presence, promise and potential of God-created and empowered moments of opportunity for us ahead, moving past uncertainty, doubt and fear, as we follow Him into the New Year before us.
Reflections reminding us once again, that nothing can separate us from His love.
We are His.
And that He—the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, the Lord of all creation—sees us, knows our name, feels our joys and pain, yet always sees our potential, reminding us time-and-time again that we don’t go it alone.
Just as we are reminded by the Christian worship group, Casting Crowns, in their song “Who Am I” when they share—
“Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way for my ever-wandering heart?
Not because of who I am, but because of what You’ve done.
Not because of what I’ve done, but because of who You are…
You’ve told me who I am, I am Yours,
Whom shall I fear? I am Yours.”
Reflect on this. Then, now and tomorrow—we are His. Always.
In His Name–Scott
PS. You’ll be lifted watching and listening to the video of “Who Am I” by Casting Crowns.
