Heart of the Father: A Devotional From Ryan EllisSample

Scripture:

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39

Devotional:

When I hear this verse, I picture God looking at me and saying “Nothing will ever separate you from my love.” I feel like that is such a good reminder of the Father’s heart. How often do we do something we aren’t proud of that allows shame to creep into our hearts and create a distance between us and God? Because of our sins, we often allow them to weigh on us so deeply that we don’t feel worthy. 

In Romans eight, God reminds us that in those moments where we feel consumed by guilt and weighed down by shame, His love remains the same. The moment we put our faith in Him, we are adopted into the Kingdom of God as sons and daughters. It is not a title we have to continually try to earn. It is a title we are guaranteed without hesitations. Whether we feel wholly loved, or completely unwanted -- God is reminding us that He wants us no matter what state we are in. It is such a good reminder of the love that flows from the heart of our Father as he greets us with compassion and mercy every day. 

Prayer:

Lord, Thank you for never withholding your love from me. When I allow the shame of my sins to weigh me down, you lift me up in your loving embrace. Nothing I can do can make you love me any less, and for that, I praise you forever. Amen.