For He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Hebrews 13:5

The Ache of Separation

Separation is something we all experience. Whether through conflicts, broken relationships or death, we know what it is like to be inevitably torn apart from one another. Our world even names the problem — a “loneliness epidemic.” Prolonged isolation harms not only the heart emotionally, but even the body physically. Some cope in healthy ways by seeking fellowship and meaningful work. Others turn to destructive comforts like drinking, drugs and sex. But no one is untouched. The memory of the COVID-19 pandemic reminds us how painful isolation can be. Separation is a sign that something is profoundly wrong in this fallen world.

Why is separation so painful?

To answer that, we must begin at the beginning.

In the Beginning

Who made us?

God made us and God is Trinity — Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; 1 John 5:7). God is in perfect union and communion in Himself. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit live in eternal love and unity. When Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), we catch a glimpse of that perfect union.

What were we made for?

When God created us in His image (Genesis 1:26), He made us to be like him for fellowship — first with Him, and then with one another. We were made for union and communion.

The Problem: Sin and Separation

That is why separation feels so unnatural and so painful. It is the opposite of what we were created for. Due to sin, we are estranged from God, without Christ (Ephesians 2:12). Every form of loneliness echoes that deeper loss. The psalmist cries,

Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me;
For I am desolate and afflicted.

Psalm 25:16

Beneath all our sorrows lie this longing: to have God turn towards us. We yearn for union — union with the living God.

The Solution: Union with Christ

Union with Christ is God’s answer to sin’s problem of separation from Him. Sin drove us far off but in Christ, God brings us back (Ephesians 2:13). To be “in Christ” means we are joined to Him — to His life, death and resurrection. Redemption, then, is not merely forgiveness. It is a reunion. God redeems His estranged people back to Himself by joining us to His incarnate, crucified, risen and living Son.

Beloved, in difficult times, we often say to those we love, “I’m here, everything will be okay.” We mean it. Yet, we know we cannot always keep that promise. We will not always be there and things do not always turn out okay. However, Christ can say what we cannot:

I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Hebrews 13:5

Union with Christ means we are never separated but always joined to Him who is always present, always faithful. And in Him, all is well.

For Better, For Worse

Like election, when we grasp this doctrine, we begin to see it everywhere in Scripture. Take Romans 8:35, 38–39, it reads like Christ’s marriage vows to His bride.

Earthly marriages point to this greater marriage union between Christ and his Church (Ephesians 5:31–32). While earthly marriages promise love, “for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health”, it has an end, “till death do us part.” Christ promises more — nothing shall separate us from His love. Not even death — He is with us always, even unto the end of the world. (Matthew 28:20). And these are not empty words. Romans 8:35, 38-39 paints a portrait of His life on earth.

Through union with Christ, we see something wonderful here: Christ keeps the vows He makes — because He fulfilled them first.

For Better, For Worse

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation? Jesus overcame Satan’s triple temptations in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13).

Or distress? Jesus’ distress deepened as he drew closer to the cross, even sweating drops of blood at Gethsemane (John 12:27; Luke 22:39-44).

Or persecution? Jesus faced persecution throughout his ministry (John 5:16-18; 19:1-3; Luke 23:33-39; Matthew 12:24; 26:59-60, 67-68; 27:24-44).

Or famine? Jesus suffered hunger during his forty days’ fast in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-2).

Or nakedness? Jesus was publicly stripped and humiliated (Matthew 27:28, 35).

Or peril? Jesus was almost thrown off the cliff, stoned and suffered on the cross (Luke 4:28-30; John 8:59).

Or sword? Jesus was whipped and abused by Roman soldiers (Matthew 27:26; John 19:1-3).

For I am persuaded,

That neither death, nor life, Jesus died our death on the cross (Luke 23:46; John 19:30; Galatians 2:20) and lived a perfect righteous life as our representative (Romans 5:17-21; Hebrews 2:14-17; Galatians 4:4-5).

Nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, Jesus triumphed over Satan in the wilderness and ultimately on the cross (Luke 4:1-11; Luke 22:31-32; Colossians 2:2215; Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:24-26).

Nor things present, nor things to come, Jesus overcame all present and future circumstances by his life, death and resurrection. His continual intercession for us preserves us in him unto glory (Romans 8:30-34; Hebrews 7:25).

Nor height, nor depth, Jesus left the highest heights of heaven not just to earth but all the way to the deepest depths of hell on the cross for our sins (Philippians 2:6-8; Matthew 12:40) and by his ascension, he will return to bring us back to our Father (Acts 1:9-11; John 14:2-3; 17:24; Ephesians 2:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Colossians 3:1-4).

Nor any other creature, Jesus and His Father hold us together in their hands, so no creature can pluck us out from them (John 10:28-30).

Shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:35, 38-39

Through union with Christ, we see something wonderful here: Christ keeps the vows He makes — because He fulfilled them first.

He did not love us from afar. He entered into our suffering, temptation, sorrow, rejection and death. In our flesh, He endured separation, even from His Father (Matthew 27:46), so that we would never be separated from God. He overcame the world (John 16:33) first so that when we pass through it ourselves, we do so in Him and “in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37)

Beloved, isn’t union with Christ such a marvellous thing? When we read God's written word, we also behold and walk with the Word made flesh Himself (2 Corinthians 3:18). Jesus shares our paths and walks our every step.

So when He said, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. (Matthew 28:20), make no mistake about it. It is not mere sentiment. It is our present reality. He has gone before us so that He may be with us — yes, even now.