IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SINK IN THE SEA OF GOD'S LOVE

"Thou hast made us like sheep for slaughter, and hast scattered us among the nations, Thou hast sold thy people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them. Thou hast made us the taunt of our neighbors; the derision and scorn of those about us, Thou hast made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples . . ." (Psalm 44:11-14).

I had the honor of officiating my uncle Harry's funeral on Monday. He would have been 101 years of age in April. Harry Warren was my uncle by marriage, having been married to my mother's sister, Joyce, who passed away 16 years ago.

The Scripture text I used for the funeral sermon was from Romans 8:31-39. The text is very comforting, speaking about nothing being able to separate us from the love of God, except that in the middle of the text Paul uses this quote from Psalm 44, ". . .we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." That has always been a difficult text for me. How could the apostle Paul ruin such a beautiful thought about God's love by adding such a negative thought?

One of the reasons I believe that the Bible is truly the word of God is that it truly reveals and recognizes the pain of humanity. People are not condemned for expressing their hurt and anger to God. How could God allow such talk to be expressed to Him as it is in Psalm 44? He does because He understands our pain and grief! And do you know what? HE STILL LOVES US!!!

"No! In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. For I am sure that neither death nor life; angels or principalities; things present or things to come; nor powers; 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" (Romans 8:27-29).

So,what I thought was negative is really a positive. Even when we are angry with God, that cannot separate us from His love. Almost exactly a year ago, January 19th, I was swimming on the Dead Sea. It is impossible to sink in the Dead Sea. I do not swim very well, so for me it was very comforting to swim in waters that I could trust to hold me up. It the same way, it is impossible to sink in the sea of God's love.

Grace&Peace,
Tom