Status

In our list of things that can separate us from God’s Love most of the things are listed in pairs but this week there is just one item. There is no ‘power’ that can separate us from the Love of God, let us just stop there a minute and consider what that means, it is very simple and very reassuring to know there is no power able to separate us from God’s Love.

Why is this so comforting, is it because we are small insignificant humans surrounded by all sorts of powerful things that threaten to overwhelm us, storms, earthquakes, diseases, wars, large predators. We are clever and resourceful because we have to be, because on our own we do not possess enough power. We are therefore very relieved to know that our God is more powerful than anything.

Power is invisible, and power without control is dangerous, the world land speed record is 763 mph and if anything unexpected happens at that speed like a stone or  pothole the car can so quickly lose control and disintegrate. Yet we are all on the surface of a planet revolving at over 1000mph on the equator. And this planet is itself hurtling through space at 67,000 mph around the sun. If the Earth were to hit a solid stationary object (like a ‘brick wall’) there would be a big mess. The power involved is beyond our comprehension. Yet we can sit here in our kitchen and calmy boil a kettle and talk about how long a 2Kw kettle takes to boil a litre of water.

You see power is contained in the laws of physics and because it is predictable we can manage it and we are safe. So it is with God he has defined the rules around us so we are secure within these rules.

Therefore, physical power cannot separate us from God’s Love, but what about spiritual power. Well we have already referred to angels and demons, and the same logic would seem to apply they are constrained by the power of God which is greater.

But I have labelled this section status, because there is another sense to the word power which we are all very familiar with, that is the power of humans both individually and in community. Status particularly refers to

the amount of respect, admiration, or importance given to a person, organization, or object

The power of people we are talking about are the powers we know here on a daily basis, namely human power whether that be physical brute force or political power.

Power and status are related as follows

Power, defined as the ability to get what one wants despite resistance, and status, defined as a position in a group based on respect or esteem, both lead to influence.

We are very familiar with this power we have to navigate our way through this maze of expectations and obligations every day. We try to keep our dignity in the midst of threats of many kinds and can feel threatened and afraid because of the society in which we live. We gain influence and in turn we are influenced. Unlike the laws of physics there are variable laws of human social interaction, which form forever moving goalposts. And it is very tiring.

Yet we are reminded by our passage in Romans that God is greater. Jesus thankfully came as a person of low status politically and suffered death as a criminal with no status, yet at Easter all over the world ordinary low status people rejoice that this Jesus is greater than all, he is now Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

For some people naming Jesus as saviour has direct implications for status and ability to find work and friendship. The choice is obvious and although life is hard their testimony is that this cannot separate from the Love of God.

But the other way this comes to us is from within, when we desire status, when we look to have the respect of society then we can be tempted to scorn the things of faith, to compromise on moral issues and to separate ourselves from brothers and sisters. The thought police can try and limit our speech and cause more division so that we find ourselves hiding behind a series of barricades and that can come between us and God’s love.

Our status in society is important to us and Paul challenges us with these words. If we see a conflict between our walk of faith and our status, then we must choose the walk of faith. The challenge then is to trust that God will give us the status we need to continue to walk in this world. We must surrender our status into his care and let him protect it if we are to stay close to his Love.

The love of our status in the west is closely linked to our lifestyle and there can be difficult choices sometimes. The allure of status is subtle and addictive the loss of status is painful. Our status should come from our place before God rather than our place before men. Our status in our community is sometimes threatened by moral choices which are very complicated.

Daniel was given a clear choice and chose to suffer loss of status rather than become separated from God’s love. And God restored his status after the going through the lion’s den. May we also learn to rely on obedience for our status rather than our own wisdom.

And the best possible example is that of Peter denying Jesus in Matt 26:69-75 three times Peter was too afraid of his own status and even his safety just because of association with Jesus, and as Jesus had told him the just hours earlier he failed to live up to his own standard. This is a key part of the Easter story look it up now and feel the tears that Peter cried as we identify with his weakness. Yet later Peter became the chief spokesperson for the disciples, this is only possible when we relinquish our need to have our own power for the freedom that is found in living in the power of Jesus. Freedom from power and the need for power is a real freedom that is a key part of our Gospel story shown in the weakness of Jesus on a cross where all the power of God was displayed in weakness.

Summary

• We are weak and vulnerable, but we are comforted to know that God is ‘all powerful’.
• Power is all around us physical and spiritual powers are both subject to God’s laws and cannot separate us with our permission.
• Power is invisible
• Power and status and lifestyle present moral dilemma’s that can quietly seduce us into thinking we are able to ‘have it all’
• Peter and the crowing cockerel is a perfect example of our own need to protect our own power (status).
• Jesus had all the power available yet lived a perfect life without needing to use it

If we try and protect our status and stay close to God’s Love then we are sure to fail, but if we are focused on staying in God’s Love whatever our status, we can trust God to give us the status we need.

I want to create a new word to counter the word ‘powerful’ because we are never powerful the power is always God’s power. Rather than being powerful we find in Christ we are ‘powerfree’.