Think on These Things: Positive thoughts in a negative world…
In the book of Romans, we are asked a rhetorical question: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:35). Truthfully, nothing can separate us from Christ’s love, which is revealed as we read further in this passage: “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 creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35-39).
We cannot be separated from God’s love because He loves us regardless. He loves whether we are good or bad, whether we win or lose, or whether times are smooth or rough. Whether we believe it or not, God loves us! He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8). There is no greater love than to die for someone (John 15:13). So God loves us. It’s a given. No matter what happens, God loves us.
As Christians, perhaps the more important question to ask is whether or not we will still love God when hardships come? Christians are not immune from trials and distress. Hardships are a given in life whether we are saints or sinners. The Christian life was never promised to be without difficulties. Will we love God during the bad times as well as the good?
Habakkuk must have thought about this. He said, “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:17-18).
My personal favorite example is Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When faced with the possibility of being burned alive, they basically said they knew God was able to deliver them. However, if God chose not to deliver them, it was okay with them (Daniel 3:16-18). They would love and praise God no matter what He decided to do.
You see, loving and praising God is not so much about good times or bad times, or when we win or lose. It’s about loving Him no matter what. After all, that’s the kind of love He gives to us!
*****
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” ~Philippians 4:8 (KJV)
