Romans 8:31-3931 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 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.
Growing up, I knew my parents believed in God. They would bow their heads during prayer, attend Church periodically and talk about the real reason for Christmas. For most of my life, that is how I acknowledged the presence of the Lord as well. I considered myself a Christian. I believed in God. I believed in the power of prayer. I believed God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. I sometimes went to church with friends. But I could tell something was missing. I have always felt a call to worship the Lord, but I never grabbed a hold of that calling until a couple of years ago when my oldest daughter was born. She went into fetal distress during labor and I found myself in the operating room, having an emergency cesarean. My husband came in and sat down beside me. I just looked at him and said, “Pray for us”. He held my hand, bowed his head and I closed my eyes. I heard her cry and it was then that I knew God was with us and had answered our prayers. On that day, I felt closer to Him than I ever had before. This past year, our Sunday school class studied the Book of John. It was an amazing experience. God sent His only Son to pay the ultimate sacrifice for our sins and give us eternal life! It still takes my breath away every time I think about that.
Father God, thank you for loving me unconditionally. Thank you for never giving up on me and for always being there. You have never left me and you knew long before I did that I am yours. Thank you for listening and answering my prayers. Most of all, thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ, the true bread of life. Amen.
DeAnn K Hall
