Back in my big hair days, one of the challenges of going to church camp was that we had to bring butane curling irons so as not to blow the circuits…as big-haired girls could do. (I’m still unsure how fueling an object intended to curl hair with a highly flammable gas was a good idea?) But good hair wasn’t my only priority at camp. I also felt a burden to confess a sin I feared had permanently separated me from Jesus.
That church camp girl with the perfectly curled bangs didn’t understand mercy. She didn’t understand how it works to be fully, eternally grafted in (Romans 11:19).
When I read Romans 11 now, I linger over Paul’s description of God’s unrelenting, undeserved mercy for Israel, even as they stumbled and rejected Jesus (1Peter 2:8). I rejoice that His plans for Israel stay, that His covenant remains still. What delight that, “He has not rejected His people whom He foreknew” (Romans 11:2).
This chapter offers a celebration for that church camp girl, and a (perhaps cautionary) reminder for her older self.
Because I confess, even as the memory of such palpable relief after my own stumbling floods back, at times I’ve felt self-satisfied. Now that I know I’m chosen (1Peter 2:9), there are days when I could be one Paul is speaking to when he says, “do not boast that you are better than those branches….you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you,” (Romans 11:18).
I think back to standing with my counselor with a humbled, grateful heart. God’s kindness, so unmerited yet unsparing, felt physical. It’s that same kindness and love that holds us all on the tree, through no achievement of our own (vv.21–22).
We’ve all disobeyed, and yet we can receive His mercy—because Israel’s disobedience made room for ours (vv.30–31). He called us all out of the darkness into the light (1Peter 2:9).
So then, Romans 11 is a banner of praise and a litany of thanksgiving as we see God’s faithful heart for all of His branches. His care to rescue the broken branches of Israel and His compassion to graft in the wild branches of the Gentiles, place both Jew and Gentile at the mercy of the tree. As mere branches (not roots), we grow because of who we are attached to. He preserves and revives (Hosea 14:6).
No, He has not rejected His people. Through the work done on another tree on the hill of Calvary, He eternally grafted in the wild branches who chose Him by faith yet still holds a place for His beloved Israel.
His gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable. Because from Him, through Him, and to Him is everything (Romans 11:29,36).
Happy Thursday she’s.
Lots of reflections for me today from the richness of the Word. Thank you so much SRT for putting out such great content daily and consistently. A few things that stood out for me:
1. Kindness and severity of GOD: “Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in His kindness. Otherwise, you too will be cut off” (Romans 11:22). There is a doctrine that says, “once saved, always saved”. This verse Romans 11:22 addresses the false comfort that this doctrine offers. This scripture is conditional on us, how we continue in His kindness. May the fear of the Lord come on us from this verse, that we remain faithful to the Merciful God and not turn astray and reap the consequences.
2.Faith in Jesus grafts people into God’s household and sustains them to stay grafted. Unbelief breaks them off. (Romans 11:20)
3.Mystery of God: The partial hardening has come upon Israel UNTIL the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (Romans 11:25). We give thanks for our brothers and sisters in Israel because they suffer the hardening of hearts for our sake. How merciful God is toward us the Gentiles that He sacrifices His first-born nation Israel to go through such hardening season. Do not be arrogant. If the root is holy, so are the branches. May we continue to pray for the peace for Israel (Psalm 122:6)
4.The healing for those who fall away is available. May we pray this prayer for those we know that are backsliding/falling away, and bring God to the remembrance of this promise: “I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them”(Hosea 14:4), “They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow, they shall flourish and blossom…”(Hosea 14:7). Such profound hope and undeserving mercy that our God gives, when we are yet sinners, or when we fall away. Glory be to Him.
5. Do not disobey the Word, or we will stumble & fall into offence (1 Peter 2:8).
6. God does not reject His people, it is His people that reject Him.
@CINDY HANNA: praying that you have felt better. When a similar incident happened to me, I went to another small church in the neighborhood, so grieved and numb. I walked in to be in the house of God, with the hope to be around His glory in such a low point, not knowing anyone. And the sermon that day was on these: “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matt 5:11-12). I cried so much that day at the mercy of God for me. The Lord sees your hurt (El Roi) as He saw mine that day, and He heard your prayers, our prayers lifted on your behalf. You are not alone. I pray you find comfort and strength from Him that you are able to soon redirect your focus and find the right people to help you on this journey. Blessings and love to you!
I will catch up on more reading comments later during my next break, and will pray for prayer requests. Be blessed dear sisters.
We are grafted in. Hallelujah!
I am praying for your requests as I go through. Blessings to each of you!❤️
. He foretells God’s abandoning the nation in the name of the second child; Lo-ruhamah, not beloved, or not having obtained mercy. God showed great mercy, but Israel abused his favours. Sin turns away the mercy of God, even from Israel, his own professing people.
He never rejected anyone in the first place
Each day of scripture reading this week has felt sweet and life bringing. Romans in past studies was hard to wrap my head around. This time a shift has occurred where what was once difficult for me to understand now brings peace and hope . I am so very grateful for the many prayers and encouragement from fellow She’s: Rhonda J, Terri Baldwin, Mercy, Kristen, Theresa Donley, Caroline Bridges and others
Jenny L, I am 67. I too have felt this waver of “did I do it right”. I can certainly look back at my teen years, my twenties and thirties and see some shameful behavior. I have repented known and unknown sins. My MIL at 90 told me she rarely read her Bible any longer. I was SHOCKED as she was a deeply faithful follower. She said she had read it so much and so many studies she knew she was in good standing and would no longer feel guilt from not studying but just having prayer time with God was enough. (I thought of her yesterday with that devotion). My 89 year old father (only one left with us) is a deep diver into the Bible and devotions. He says he neglected this in his younger years and yearns for more understanding even today. I am in the middle of both of these extremes. I find if I do my reading and devotions daily I am more peaceful. I also find that when I don’t make time away from reading and study to just sit – for even 5 min – with God to just “be” I start down a rabbit hole of what if’s. I believe God is present always, that we all waiver in daily life, that the Holy Spirit is there to help right us if we listen. I don’t think you were insincere but I do think in reading literature that is geared to people on a younger Christian journey tends to make us question ourselves. I like to fall back on other studies like Pricilla Shirer, Kay Arthur, old Beth Moore, etc and not just SRT. Of course at my age I have the luxury of more time to spend on it rather than doing only one. I have been with Raechel Meyers before this SRT was born. I have learned so much from her and then Amanda and a long ago writer with Raechel, Diana Stone. Deep Breath and be Blessed.
JENNYL – I too have felt what you are feeling. In my 30’s I was doing BSF. I did 8 years of it. Was so close to God. Loved the changes that He was making in my life. And then…I fell. I fell back into bad behavior. I went through some tough times in a relationship and I just gave up. I have been back for some time now, but at times I feel that the closeness I felt before is not there. I have worried that He said “enough”. You aren’t deserving of Me anymore. But I know that is not true yet at times I’m fearful that I won’t get that closeness back. The enemy wants us to believe that. Prayers for you my fellow sister in Christ.
SEARCHING – thank you for always listing our names in your comments. Showing that our requests are heard. I’m so thankful for you.
We are chosen and that can feel self satisfying. Yet I believe that knowing how much God loves us makes me try harder. I fail time and time again, but just knowing He offers us forgiveness and love, makes me want to please Him. Just think if we offer that love to others. Would it change the world? I think so. It is hard to not want to do better for the One that shows us so much kindness, forgiveness, love, wise counsel and more.