Is Jesus Still Here? – Sunday Thought For The Day

The following was written for December 28, 2014, “Our Daily Bread” by David C. McCasland.
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Ted Robertson’s home in Colorado was one of more than 500 destroyed by the Black Forest Fire in June 2013. When he was allowed to return and sift through the ash and rubble, he was hoping to find a precious family heirloom made by his wife—a tiny ceramic figurine of baby Jesus about the size of a postage stamp. As he searched the charred remains of their home, he kept wondering, “Is the baby Jesus still here?”

When our lives are rocked by disappointment and loss, we may wonder if Jesus is still here with us. The Bible’s answer is a resounding Yes! “Neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come . . . shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).

In a corner of what used to be his garage, Ted Robertson discovered the burned remnants of a nativity scene and there he found the baby Jesus figurine undamaged by the flames. He told KRDO NewsChannel 13, “[We’ve] gone from apprehension to hope . . . that we’re going to recover some parts of our life that we thought were lost.”

Is Jesus still here? He is indeed, and that is the everlasting wonder of Christmas.

When all around me is darkness
And earthly joys have flown,
My Savior whispers His promise
Never to leave me alone. —Anon.

If you know Jesus, you’ll never walk alone.

Insight
In today’s reading, Paul affirms the security the believer has in Christ (vv.31-35). God protects us (v.31), saves us (v.32), and no longer condemns us (vv.33-34). He also assures us that we are safe, secure, and victorious in Christ’s great love (vv.35,37,39). No wonder Paul triumphantly declares, “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (v.37).

READ: Romans 8:31-39
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.[adsanity id=11817 align=alignnone /]