2026 Pentecost Devotions I
Thursday, July 23
Romans 8:31-39
31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not withhold his own Son but gave him up for all of us, how will he not with him also give us everything else? 33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ who died, or rather, who was raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all day long;
we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than victorious through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
“… If God is for us, who is against us? …”
Each of us faces a myriad of difficulties in our lives. From the tragedy of the death of a loved one to the breakdown of relationships, all of us have had experiences of grief and pain. Even in the public arena, forces seem to exert pressure on us causing stress, turmoil, and anxiety. Worsening weather patterns, economic downturns, higher prices, and cultural instability all weigh upon our hearts and minds. It’s no wonder sleeplessness is epidemic.
With all that against us, it’s easy to forget who is for us. We get caught up in the chaos and carried down the proverbial rabbit hole of distress, forgetting who has claimed and named us in the waters of baptism. We lose sight of the promises of God, the presence of the Spirit, and the eternal hope given through Jesus Christ. We fail to remember whose we are.
This passage from Romans 8 is a powerful witness to the God who loves us. It is a vivid reminder of the grace poured out upon us and the power of God’s presence in our lives. Amidst our personal and communal lives which are often rife with struggle and despair, Paul’s words about God’s love give us hope and offers peace. If God is for us, who is against us? Is the promise we seek, and the hope which sustains.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for Your eternal presence in our lives. When I forget, remind me that You are for me, and that Your love brings forth hope, peace, and light. Amen.