Trusting God’s Sovereignty
Today’s Reading: Romans 8:18-39
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?
Romans 8:38-39
Building up our confidence
Paul is asking what the believer’s response should be to “these things”, meaning all he has told them about in the previous verses (18-30). In other words, the adoption and redemption of our bodies (23), the hope in which were saved (24), the Spirit’s help in our weakness, His interceding for us in prayer (26), God working all things together for our good (28), being conformed into the image of His Son, so that we might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters (29), and as part of His plan – being called, justified, and glorified (30).
He goes on to ask, “If God is for us who can be against us?”. Perhaps, in light of all He has just written, this is meant to be a rhetorical question. However, either way, I believe it is good and profitable to give an answer to the question as an exercise of recalling the truths and promises that are ours in Christ. Certainly this list alone clarifies that God is for us but lets look at a couple of others that will strengthen our confidence. John 3:16 boasts of God’s love being so great that He gave us His one and only son to die for our sins, and announces that anyone who believes in his son would be saved. There’s also Paul’s words from Romans 5:8 that tell us how God demonstrated his own love for us, not just by sending Christ to die for us, but doing it while we were still sinners. Surely there is absolutely no one and nothing that can stand against us when we are loved so deeply.
HOw Then Do we live
This truth and others like it offer us hope and the confidence we need to walk victoriously through the world as a Christian. We will face suffering and deal with weaknesses, there may be times when we don’t even know how to pray and when it may seem like God is removed from us, but we can always live with the assurance that God, the creator of the universe, the mightiest of the mighty, eternal, living God is “for us” and His Spirit is always with us. He gives freely, not based on our merit but His love; and Psalm 84:11 says He withholds no good thing from those who do what is right. He has a plan for our life and is working everything together for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose and in this we can rest knowing He is a good good father whom we can trust has our backs.
Prayer Prompt
Father, thank You that You are a sovereign God, in perfect control of all things. Thank You for not sparing Your own son but giving Him up for us all so that we might, through faith in Him, be a member of Your family. Thank You for showing us such love and giving us the assurance that we can trust Your sovereign goodness. My heart is full of gratitude and praise!