Around this time last year, the Holy Spirit started stirring a passion within me to study, memorize, and ingest Romans 8. As I started to "eat the book," I began to see Romans 8 in a new light. It was no longer merely a comforting and meandering chapter in the New Testament; it was a living, breathing gospel -- a double-edged sword that wounds us and bandages us (Hosea 6:1).

I'm of the opinion that Romans 8 is the greatest chapter in a Bible that is full of great chapters. If I could have one page from the Bible for the rest of my life, it would be Romans 8. I love Romans 8, with a passion.

It teaches me that there is no condemnation for His children:

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. -- Romans 8:1

It teaches me that the flesh is "enmity" against God, and the result of that enmity is God's displeasure:

So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. -- Romans 8:8

It teaches me that the sons of God, those who are led by His Spirit, are adopted into His family:

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. -- Romans 8:16

It teaches me to keep an eternal perspective when I suffer:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. -- Romans 8:18

It teaches me that the Holy Spirit (called "the Spirit of He who raised Jesus from the dead" in verse 11) intercedes for us:

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. -- Romans 8:26

It teaches me that "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

And it teaches me that he foreknew me, predestined me, called me, justified me, and glorified me (see Romans 8:30).

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? -- Romans 8:31

The chapter ends with the force of a volcanic explosion, with fire, lava, and rock melting the the satanic ideas of separation, fear, loneliness, and despair.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written: 'For your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.'

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. -- Romans 8:35-39

For Christ's sake we are killed all day long. That's not prosperity, that's death. Yet in those very things (namely, death and slaughter), we are "more than conquerors" and eternally united with the risen Lord.

Romans 8 makes me happy.