HE Has a Set of Skills!!!  

Movies! Movies! Movies!

I love a good movie. Not just any movie, though. I like one with a strong plot, good writing, solid pacing, and enough action to keep me from checking my phone every five minutes. One movie that checks all those boxes for me is Taken. Now, Taken became a trilogy, but that first one is still my favorite. Liam Neeson plays Bryan Mills, a retired CIA operative whose daughter travels overseas and ends up being taken by a trafficking ring. And if you have seen the movie, you already know the scene. That phone call. That voice. That calm but terrifying confidence. He tells the man who took his daughter that he does not know who he is or what he wants, but he does have “a very particular set of skills.”

I will not finish the rest of that line here because this is a devotional, and we are trying to stay saved and sanctified. But you know what happened next. Bryan Mills went looking for his daughter. He traveled to Paris. He searched. He investigated. He fought. He pressed forward. He did not let distance stop him. He did not let danger stop him. He did not let powerful people stop him. He did not let locked doors, threats, or obstacles stop him. Why? Because his child needed rescuing. That reminded me of what Paul wrote in Romans 8:38–39:

“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.” (NIV)

Paul says, “I am convinced.” That is not a weak statement. He did not say, “I kind of think.” He did not say, “I hope so.” He did not say, “It sounds good on a Sunday morning.” He said, “I am convinced.” Paul had settled this truth deep in his heart: nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Not death. Not life. Not angels. Not demons. Not the present. Not the future. Not height. Not depth. Not anything else in all creation. In other words, there is no power strong enough, no distance far enough, no failure big enough, no season dark enough, and no enemy bad enough to separate God’s children from His love. That is good news. 

Now, let’s bring it back to the movie for a moment. Bryan Mills was a fictional character with a particular set of skills, and he used those skills to rescue his daughter. But we serve a real Heavenly Father who is not limited by location, strength, time, resources, or human ability. He does not have to search for us because He already knows where we are. He does not have to guess what happened because He already sees the full story. He does not get intimidated by what has captured our hearts, distracted our minds, or pulled us away from Him. And He does not stop pursuing us just because we have made mistakes. That is the love of the Father. He comes after the one who feels lost. He reaches for the one who feels too far gone. He comforts the one who feels forgotten. He restores the one who feels broken. And He reminds us that His love is not fragile.

Sometimes we act like God’s love is easy to lose. Like one bad decision cancels the relationship. Like one rough season makes Him walk away. Like one failure makes Him fold His arms and say, “Well, good luck figuring that out.”

But that is not the Father’s heart. God’s love is not weak. God’s love is not confused. God’s love is not scared off by your struggle. God’s love is steady, pursuing, patient, powerful, and present. That does not mean we can live any kind of way and pretend it does not matter. Love does not remove correction. Love does not ignore sin. Love does not celebrate what harms us. But God’s correction flows from His love, not from rejection. He does not come to destroy His children. He comes to rescue, restore, and bring us back to Himself. So, if you have been feeling far from God, let Romans 8 remind you of the truth. You are not outside His reach. You are not beyond His care. You are not too hidden for Him to find. You are not too broken for Him to restore. You are not too weak for Him to strengthen. And you are not too far gone for His love. The enemy may try to convince you that your situation is final, your mistake is too big, your past is too messy, or your distance is too great. But the Word of God says otherwise. Nothing can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Not some things. Not most things. Nothing. So today, rest in this truth: your Heavenly Father loves you with a love that will not quit. He is not pacing heaven wondering what to do. He is not short on power. He is not lacking wisdom. He is not low on grace. He knows exactly where you are, exactly what you need, and exactly how to reach you. Because unlike a movie hero with a particular set of skills, our Father has all power, all wisdom, all authority, and all love. And His love is still reaching for you.

Next Steps:

Reflect on the above, and then ask yourself: “What have I been allowing to make me feel separated from God’s love?” Name it, and just give it to the Heavenly Father.

God bless you, God keep you. God loves you and I love you too!