“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39 (NAB)
This has to be one of the most uplifting and faith inspiring verses in scripture. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, no accident, disease, tragedy, or desperate situation. Not even the most extreme malevolence that reigns in high places can separate anyone from God’s love. No human or spirit being, or force of nature, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. He is with us every moment, both in wakefulness and in our sleep.
I was reminded of this fact yesterday. While I was sleeping, I dreamed that someone was telling me that Jon was sent to the hospital from his Nursing home. I wasn’t given a reason in the dream, but at that very moment, I was awoken by the sound of my cell phone buzzing. It was 3am and the Nursing home was calling. His nurse told me that they were sending Jon to the hospital due to vomiting and low oxygen saturations.
It’s kind of crazy that I dreamed it, in the moment I received the phone call. I arrived at the hospital to find Jon very sleepy, but resting with good vital signs. The nurse said that his CT scan was interpreted by the weekend radiologist, as a bowel perforation. The attending ER doctor came into the room to tell me that he thoroughly examined Jon and his scans, but did not see any sign of a perforation. His plan was to admit him and treat him for an intestinal infection.
It was a Sunday morning which started out with some drama, between my dream, the 3am phone call, initial talk of a bowel perforation and then the calming presence of the doctor who assured me he saw no sign of a perforation. Instead of quickly sending Jon back to his Nursing home, the ER doctor felt it wiser to admit him, start antibiotics, and observe him.
It’s so easy to forget that in the midst of the many stresses we may be dealing with in the moment, that Jesus is right there with us. He not only knows what we are about to go through, but He is right there next to us, speaking His peace to us, even when we don’t hear it. That dream was a confirmation that the Lord, who knows everything, was preparing me to not fear, and later sent words of peace through the doctor. Since nothing can separate us from God’s love, everything will be alright.
There is another true story about words of peace and someone’s surprisingly good outcome. A monk named Nectarios, lived over a hundred years ago in Greece. He was a humble and exceptionally kind, loving man who shared the love of God with everyone. He helped children, the poor, the outcasts, the homeless and prostitutes. He was falsely accused of the same things Jesus was, by the corrupt orthodox clergy, who were his superiors of his day. In spite of being slandered and treated badly by the hierarchy who were over him, he forgave them all.
He eventually became very ill and was admitted to the hospital for late stage prostate cancer, and doctors said he wasn’t strong enough to make it through surgery. He shared a hospital room with a younger man who was depressed after being paralyzed from a work accident. That man told Nectarios that God has forgotten him, and that he feels useless, being unable to ever work or support his family again. Then he asked Nectarios, “Why didn’t God just let me die?” Nectarios turned to the man and said, “Have faith, my friend, God has a surprise for you.”
Within minutes of their conversation, Nectarios breathed his last and passed away peacefully. The man in the bed next to him suddenly regained movement of his hands and feet. He stood up, walked around the room, and everyone realized that a miraculous healing took place.
The man who once thought that God’s love was too far away from him, realized nothing separates us from His love. God was there all along, and his roommate was probably praying for him. The man had a change of heart and mind, which is called “metanoia” in Greek. The greatest miracles are those that change the heart and mind, turning someone toward Christ, which is what happened that day. We can all live by Nectarios’ last words, and trust that “God has a surprise for us.”
Lord, thank you for your inseparable love, that changes our hearts and minds, helping us to live with the kind of faith in you that will always expect surprise blessings. Amen
