The Everlasting Love of God
One of the greatest truths in Scripture is the fact that God loved you so much that He sent His only Son to earth to provide a way for you to have a relationship with Him. There is nothing that you can do to earn God’s love, because He gives it freely.
The God of the universe loves you and cares for you. That can almost seems too good to be true.
It is common for people to fear losing their salvation through disobedience or failing to follow God perfectly. But Scripture is clear that God’s grace and forgiveness is a free gift. Because there is nothing you did to earn it, there is nothing that can take it away from you.
The apostle Paul is very clear in the book of Romans—there is nothing that can separate you from the love of God. Death cannot separate you, because Jesus defeated death on the cross. Supernatural powers cannot separate you from God’s love, because Jesus is victorious over them.
There is nothing that can separate you from God’s love. Scripture is clear that Jesus’ death paid for all of your wrongdoing—past, present, and future. Not even your own mistakes could keep God from loving and forgiving you.
So take some time to consider how much God loves you. Let this truth soak in—nothing can separate you from the love of God. Rest in the assurance that God’s love will never leave you throughout your life.
Responding to God at All Times
Throughout our lives, we will all experience both suffering and joy. We'll have times of great grief and times of overflowing happiness. Sometimes, they’ll be separate seasons—but other times, these experiences come together.
In either case and in any situation, James expected Christians to come to God. If someone was suffering, prayer was the call to action. If someone was cheerful, people were to pause and praise God.
This might seem obvious, but when suffering clouds our thinking, we can sometimes forget to prioritize prayer. And when things are going well and we're feeling cheerful, it’s easy to just enjoy our season and not stop long enough to praise God for it. But every season of life is actually just an opportunity to put into practice what James wrote about…
When we are suffering, let us pray. When those around us are suffering, let us pray. When we are cheerful or happy, let us praise God. When others are happy, let us praise God with ...