In all these things we are
more than conquerors through Him who loved us. —Romans 8:37
{CHAMBERS} “Paul was speaking here of the things that might seem
likely to separate a saint from the love of God. But the remarkable thing is
that nothing can come between the love of God and a saint. The things Paul
mentioned in this passage can and do disrupt the close fellowship of our soul
with God and separate our natural life from Him. But none of them is able to
come between the love of God and the soul of a saint on the spiritual level. […]
We are super-victors with a joy that comes from experiencing the very things
which look as if they are going to overwhelm us. […] The things we try to avoid
and fight against— tribulation, suffering, and persecution— are the very things
that produce abundant joy in us. “We are more than conquerors through Him” “in
all these things”; not in spite of them, but in the midst of them. A saint
doesn’t know the joy of the Lord in spite of tribulation, but because of it.
Paul said, “I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation” (2 Corinthians
7:4).”
{ELGIN} I was just talking to someone about this very thing
yesterday. Doing what we do, there are opportunities,
every day, to talk with people who are struggling under the weight of the misfortunes
of life on this planet. In this
particular case, the woman was struggling with the betrayal by people she loves
and trusted. She has forgiven them, but
she is heartbroken. All of this in the
midst of being driven from her home because of the hurricane. ( a
slight deviation from the thread of this devotion --- James 1:27 says we are to “visit the widows and orphans in their
affliction” What does that mean? God’s order is that a man and woman are to
become as one. When the man is gone –
through death, but I will extend that to abandonment and divorce – there is an
imbalance. As the Body, we are to come
alongside them. Although we can’t replace the man, we can, in some respects, offset the consequences. ) I could see the “light of Christ” shining
from this woman. So I reminded her of
God’s faithfulness … of His provision … of the peace and joy that can be ours
in the midst of any storm – natural or relational – if we only will look up and
trust in God with all our heart. There
are so many people who share in this woman’s struggle – perhaps you are
struggling with a heavy load. (Psalm
34:18) “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are
crushed in spirit.”
I am reminded of these songs ….
[What
A Friend We Have In Jesus] “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins
and griefs to bear. What a privilege to
carry, everything to God in prayer. Do
your friends despise forsake you, take it to the Lord in prayer. In His arms
He’ll take and shield you, You will find a solace there. Oh, what peace we
often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Everything
to God in prayer!” [He Will Come And
Save You] “Say those who are broken hearted Do not lose your faith The Lord
your God will come And with His loving hand When you call on His Name, He will
come and save you. He will come and save you. Lift up your eyes to Him. You will arise again.
He will come and save you.”
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