We Don’t Have to Be Perfect

One of my favorite Bible verses is Romans 8:38-39 because it says we are inseparable from the love of God. That’s a powerful statement. Few things in this shattered, divided world are inseparable. Friends lose touch with each other, separated by time or distance or disagreement. Families drift apart. Human love isn’t always strong enough to power through the brokenness of our imperfect lives.

But the author of Romans, Paul, reminds us that there is one love without limits: the love of God. Paul faced a lot of hardships in his life. At various times, he was beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, pelted with stones, sleep-deprived, hungry, and the list goes on (2 Corinthians 11:23-29). If anyone had reason to feel separated from God’s love, it was Paul. But instead, Paul proclaimed God’s love as a force of freedom and goodness. A love more powerful than death.

God showed the full extent of His love when He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us. Because our sin separated us from God, He gave up His own life to pay for all humanity’s wrongdoing. After three days, Jesus rose from the dead, defeating sin and death once and for all. So now, everyone who has put their trust in Jesus is forgiven and will live forever with Him.

What are some hard things you’re facing right now? Some hardships might just be inconvenient, while others might threaten our lives, safety, and relationships. Can any of these things separate us from God’s love? No! Because of what Jesus has done, nothing can separate us from God’s love. So take heart: no matter what happens, we are loved by the Creator of the universe. • Becca Wierwille

• When was a time you felt separated from God’s love? How might today’s verse give you hope? What questions do you have? (You can read more about what Jesus has done on our “Know Jesus” page.)

• Since we can know that God loves us with an inseparable love, how might resting in this sure hope free us to love others in our daily lives? (Read 1 John 4:7-21.)

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)

Read Verses:

Romans 5:1–11; Titus 3:3–7