Today was a special day at church. We finished up Romans 8:31-39 and afterwards, we went outside to take pics and break ground for the new addition that will be built very soon. The church is growing, so there’s a real need for more classrooms to teach Sunday School and other classes.

Lots of people are still out on vacation, something we haven’t done yet but maybe will during the holidays, so lots of empty chairs. I’ll be glad when we are filled up again.

There is a lot going on as far as projects and situations happening with church members, so I feel like Pastor Kevin might have been somewhat distracted. He made the same points repeatedly and I also didn’t get a program like I normally do, so no notes. I’ve prayed about what to write, so I’ll try to use the memory muscle here.

If you read today’s passages, its crystal clear that the message is about how much God loves each and every one of us.

8:31 What then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Who indeed??

If you believe, then you have Jesus in your heart and the Holy Spirit as your guide. I’ve said before how I’ve always felt like I had a guardian angel keeping me from tragedy when all along it was God.

I’ve been in some dangerous, scary situations and every time someone or something interceded on my behalf. Had to, because there is no explanation why in one case someone who was attacking me suddenly stopped. Did he change his mind? Did something overcome him that made him back off? Incredulously, I spent more time with him that night actually playing in the snow! Why? If memory serves, it was because he was really sorry. Then I felt sorry for him. That’s how naive I was at the time.

Another time I was picked up as I was angrily trying to walk back to base. A semi-truck driver picked me up and promised no harm would come to me. He said he’d take my right to the gate. Well, his partner had other ideas. Just as he started to attack me I hollered, “Hey!” and the driver told him to stop it or he’d kick him out. He did not stop, so the driver pulled over and kicked him out before he went too far with me. I was so grateful. Then I asked the driver what about his partner and he told me he would pick him up on the way back. Again, I was worried about the person that was just trying to attack me! What is wrong with me?

That night the driver was my angel. Maybe God whispered to his heart to do the right thing. I don’t know. All I know is that I was not hurt either time.

Being in the military as a woman in the late ‘70’s early 80’s you know I have more stories like that, but I’ve been protected from myself most every time.

I say from myself because obviously I was so stupid and naive to think if I walked around by myself and carried myself like a confident badass no one would bother me.

So my takeaway from that is I became a believer so long ago that God was with me. Nevermind how many times my naive little self got “saved” or how many churches I belonged to before I recognized myself as a Christian, God was with me!

He didn’t spare his own son so that we could have a personal relationship with Him! How much then does he love us???

Nothing can separate us from God’s love.

Nothing we accomplish will get us into heaven either. That price has already been paid.

Passages 38, 39 say, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Amen!!