Text for meditation: Romans 8:31-39
Paul’s troubles
When we read the above text we understand the troubles that he went through -
8:31 – People were “against” him
8:32 – He was in need
8:33 – He was “charged against”
8:34 – He was “condemned”
8:35 – He suffered “tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword”
Remembering Forerunners
While writing these texts Paul remembers two forerunners and draws inspirations from their lives.
He borrows the words of the Psalmist David (from Psalm 44:22) and says,
“As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” (Romans 8:36)
The reading of Psalm 44 would enlighten us more on what Paul was going through and how it is similar to what we go through. From this Psalm of David we can understand the four phases of his life -
44:1 - “We have heard”; David talks about all the deeds that God did in the past of which he has heard
44:4 – “You are my King”; He personalizes God whose great deeds he heard of
44:9 – “But now”; He gives a list of all the troubles that he is going through
44:23 – “Awake, Lord”; Prays to God for deliverance
44:9 – “rejected and humbled”
44:13 – “reproach, scorn, derision”
44:21b – “he knows the secrets of the heart”
Troubled so much that he couldn’t express everything and prays to God with the understanding that He knows the secrets of the heart. Paul too realizing his state to be the same writes, “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:27 NKJV)
God not only knows the secrets of our heart, he searches the heart too! Because He is concerned of us.
He loves. He Provides.
While penning these words in his letter to the Romans Paul also remembers another forerunner. From David he drew inspirations to take his troubles to God or rather sing them to the Lord. And from this forerunner he sees God in a new perspective working right in the middle of his life, amidst his troubles. He is Abraham.
In the incident at Mount Moriah the Bible says in Genesis 22:16,
““By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son”.
Through these texts Paul sees God in a newer way and writes to Romans,
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)
Paul was seeing God’s love in Abraham’s sacrifice! God allows sufferings in our lives so that His love may be expressed through our choices in life. Even as Paul was thinking over these from the life of Abraham he understood that he was being tested as “God tested Abraham” (Genesis 22:1)
He could not only see the God who loves Him but He who provides and that’s why he writes, “how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things”; since that’s the kind of faith inspiration that he draws from Abraham.
“Abraham said, “My son, God will provide…. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide” (Genesis 22:8a, 14a)
Like Paul, like Abraham, like David, we too can go through all troubles if we too would know intently the Lord who loves us and provides for us. And we will join with Paul in saying that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39b) And we will be rest assured in Him because,
“If God is for us, who (or what) can be against us?”
During these Lent Days even as we spend more time specifically meditating on the sufferings of Jesus Christ, let’s be assured of His love for us. And let that assurance bring joy in us and make us to give ourselves for His service and other’s blessing.
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