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. 39 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
When I was in 7th grade, there was a girl I had a HUGE crush on. She was in every class I had that year, so we talked a lot. I thought she was amazing. I always wondered if she liked me too, but I was so scared to be laughed at and shunned, I never worked up the courage to ask.
Sometimes as believers, we approach God the same way I approached my middle school crush. We desperately seek God’s wholehearted love, but we fear He’ll reject us, so we often distance ourselves from the very love we crave. Thankfully, we don’t have to wonder how God feels about us.
In “God Really Loves Us”, David Crowder gives us a powerful reminder that, no matter what you’ve done or what’s been done to you, God always has and always will love you. Taking the doubts and fears many of us struggle with, Crowder puts into music the remarkable truth of God’s unending, never-ceasing love for you. Here are a few of the lyrics that hit home for me:
Hallelujah, we are not alone
God really loves us, God really loves us
Hallelujah, oh praise, my soul
God really loves us, God really loves us
His mercy’s enough, His grace is sufficient
So come if you’re needing, forgiveness or healing
His mercy’s enough
In Romans 8:31-39, the Apostle Paul writes to the first-century church in Rome about God’s love. As a primarily Gentile church, the Roman Christians were wondering if God would love and accept them even the way He had received the Jewish believers. On top of that, as citizens of the capital of ancient Rome, they lived under the constant threat of persecution. With two very real, very heavy weights on their mind, Paul wrote to the Roman Church that nothing will ever be able to separate them from God’s love. The words Paul shared with the Romans all those years ago are just as true for you and me today.
Has there ever been a time in your life when you wondered if God really loved you? Are you worried you’ve done something in the past that made God stop loving you in the present? When you question how God feels about you, remember what Jesus did for you.
Many people in your life will tell you they love you, but most won’t die to prove it. But Jesus did. He didn’t just say He loves you; He showed it by dying on the cross. He took the punishment you and I were supposed to take. And Romans 8:39 says that nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate you from His love for you. That means nothing you or anyone else can do will ever make God stop loving you.
No matter where you’ve been, where you are, what you’ve been through, or what you’re going through now, know that God really loves you. You are not alone.
Dig Deeper
1. What causes you to question God’s love for you? What do Romans 8:31-39 and the lyrics to “God Really Loves Us” have to say about those things?
2. Make a list of verses that remind you of how much God loves you. Whenever you start to feel yourself doubting God’s love, go back to those verses and reflect on God’s great love for you, and remember: you are not alone.
