This scripture passage speaks of a strong conviction, an unmovable persuasion coming from a man who was three times beaten with rods, stoned and left for dead, three times shipwrecked, betrayed by his own people, persecuted for his faith, he was hungered, in weariness and in pain – but this one powerful conviction never left his heart: in spite of all this, because of all of this, there is absolutely nothing he would go through that could separate him from the love of God. 

The Apostle Paul’s confidence did not lie in his own love for God, but God’s love for him. 1 John 4:19 tells us that “We love Him because He first loved us.” The incredible depth of God’s love caused Him to not spare His only Son, but deliver him up for us all. Jesus’s commitment to love us, moved him to freely give of himself on the cross for our sins, and rise from the dead, to justify us. What wondrous love is this?

Paul’s first-hand experience taught him that God’s love for him, which is in Christ Jesus, would never let him go. It protected him, preserved his life from all kinds of evil, spoke to him when he got discouraged, comforted him in the darkest of nights, encouraged him to keep moving forward, and gave him purpose. He found that this love made his faith grow, and took him to where he needed to be.

With this understanding, Paul prayed a prayer for believers back then, that continues to this day – “I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your innermost being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you being rooted and grounded in love, will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length, and width and height, and depth of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:13-19 BSB)

This is God’s desire, for us to experience His love for ourselves, the power and the fullness of Him. To be ever reassured, embraced by His peace, never alone, comforted, made whole, and set free.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the unwavering, unstoppable love You have for me. In every storm, through every high and low, remind me that nothing can separate me from Your love. Help me to be rooted and grounded in this truth. Let Your love quiet every fear, heal every wound, and give me strength when I feel weak. May I walk daily in the confidence that I am fully known and yet fully loved by You. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

 

Take a moment today to reflect on times when you felt far from God—then declare aloud Romans 8:38-39 over those moments. Remind yourself that even in those seasons, God’s love never left you. Write down three ways God has shown His love to you recently, and share one of them with someone else this week as a testimony of His faithfulness.