July 23, 2020 (Thursday)
Have you read Romans 8 lately? It’s always right on target to give us peace about whatever is going on in our lives or in our world. It’s impossible to choose a favorite verse of that awesome chapter in the Bible, but let’s take a look at Romans 8:38-39.
Modern translations help us understand the Bible, and there are many available to us today. I encourage Bible students to read them all, and study the reasons for the translators’ choices. My favorite translation of Romans 8:38-39, I suppose, is the King James Version, because that’s the one I memorized long ago:
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 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.
Dickens wrote about life in the nineteenth century: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” The same statement would describe the world we live in today.
Another often-used expression that applies to our generation is, “Our reach has exceeded our grasp,” which can be applied in many ways, especially to science and technology. Technology is a talented slave, but it can become a malignant master.
The times in which we live can sometimes make us feel like strangers in a rapidly changing world. In our best moments, we cry out to God for help. The positive and negative influences battle for our attention and allegiance. Perhaps we could make a list of the positive features of today’s world, just to help us have a better perspective. I believe the very first item on our list should be “God loves us, saves us and will guide us if we depend upon Him.” As Romans 8:38-39 declares, “Nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
In Times Like These
Ruth Caye Jones
1944
In times like these you need a Savior,
In times like these you need an anchor;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
This Rock is Jesus, Yes He’s the One,
This Rock is Jesus, the only One;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
In times like these you need the Bible,
In times like these, O be not idle;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
This Rock is Jesus, Yes He’s the One,
This Rock is Jesus, the only One;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
In times like these I have a Savior,
In times like these I have an anchor;
I’m very sure, I’m very sure
My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
This Rock is Jesus, Yes He’s the One,
This Rock is Jesus, the only One;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!