No!

Okay, so I admit I get a kick out of watching my two daughters and their spouses experience the joys of parenting. One of those joys (I'm thinkin' payback) is discovering how many times they will find it necessary to say the word "no" before the child even understands what it means.
They will also discover the joy of having to say"no" repeatedly-while the term is well understood-yet blatently ignored by their kids (and I gloat).

But such is the process of parenting. By the time the kids "get it" it's a wonder their parents' lips aren't worn too thin to even pronounce the word any longer!
But there is something in all of us, even the most compliant among us, that bristles at the coupling of those two-letters when it prevents us from getting what we want. It seems nothing so small should weild so much power!

Additionally, who among us has not felt the sting of rejection in that word? Like a poison-tipped arrow, it can pierce the heart, leaving us reeling, our senses rattled, our spirit bruised.
But for all of us, at one time or another, the word "no" has had a life changing affect upon us, wether we've been aware of it or not.

One such "no" is the one which Abba has expressed in Jesus. Everything he's done and all that he has become for us is Abba's "No!" to our demise.
And like any good parent he has repeated it a million times over while we've not understood it.
And the cool thing is- he'll continue to repeat it-even when it's blatently ignored!

Remember the Apostle Paul's words; "Nothing can seperate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord...!"

Nothing?
No!
Nothing.