And the Most Powerful Thing on Earth Is....

Scripture

Romans 8:31-39

³¹What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? ³²He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? ³³Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. ³⁵Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered."

³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹nor 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.   (NRSV)

Devotion

There are some days when it feels like life is kicking me in the teeth.  I try to be a good Christian and follow God's will, but its hard when my carefully laid plans have to be scrapped.  It's even harder when my attempts to follow God's will put me in conflict with the people and institutions around me.  Sometimes, it seems as if all the world is out to get me for the simple act of following Christ.

These feelings are common right now.  We live in divisive times.  I can't count the number of times that folks have told me about harrowing incidents in parking lots, online forums, workplace, churches, and even their own homes.  Usually, the person said or did something that they thought was a pretty obvious way of following God's commandment to love others...only to discover that they had made themselves a target for someone else's anger.  It's as if their devotion to Christ has turned them into sheep to be slaughtered.  As I listen to their stories and we talk about the challenge of actually living out the Biblical imperative to love God and one another, I share in some of their distress.  Sometimes, it all feels like Jesus is asking too much of us...as if  he expects us to be lambs to be slaughtered on his behalf.

Christians in Paul's time knew it meant to be persecuted for staying true to Jesus's teachings.  From society's stand-point, Jesus's strange actions and even stranger teachings weren't to be trusted.  Coming together to care for the weak, the vulnerable, and the oppressed challenged the standard  way of doing things...which meant that it also challenged Rome's authority.  Because they dared to rock the boat, Christians became a target of both the people around them and the Roman government.  They were reviled, mocked, beaten, and starved , and even killed.  The Early Church struggled to survive in the face of such persecution.  People wanted to follow Jesus.  At the same time, it was hard to believe that the Son of God would let all this happen to them when they were simply trying to follow his commandments.  Perhaps Rome was more powerful than Christ after all. 

Paul's letter reminded the Early Church that even when it looked like all was lost, God's love was still stronger than the powers of this world.  Rome could kill Christians all day long, but it couldn't truly defeat them.  Nothing could ever separate them from God's love as found in Christ.  The day would come when both the living and dead would see that love triumph over all the powers of heaven and earth.  And on that day, each member of the Beloved Community would rejoice in the presence of their Risen Savior.

When times are tough and it seems as if all the world has turned against us, we would do well to remember Paul's words to the Romans.  Yes, we may find that our commitment to Christ pits us against powerful people or forces.  Yes, those forces may do things to us that hurt us deeply.  But the good news is that nothing the world can do to us can separate us from Christ's love.  The words and actions that get is into hot water with others are the same ones that witness to the power of that love.  And though we may suffer sometimes on behalf of Christ, we can have faith that his love for us will eventually overcome all the pain and injustice that surrounds us.

I know it can be tough out there.  Don't give up when your devotion to Christ causes life to kick you in the teeth.  Get up, dust yourself off, and listen for that holy spark that lives within your heart.  It may be difficult to hear over the world's lamentation, but it is humming along with the far-off hymn that heralds Christ's new Creation.  No power on Earth can stop that song. If anything, it is slowly growing louder.   And with Christ's Love as Lord of Heaven and Earth, how can we possibly keep from singing along?

Prayer

Jesus, your love for us knows no bounds, and it cannot be defeated.  Help us stay your faithful followers.  When we feel hurt or under attack, remind us of the power of your love.  When we are confused, guide us in the way forward.  And when the world seems full of lament, fill us with the hope to keep singing your praises.  Amen.