Chosen
by Rachael Stelzer
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Has God rejected his people? By no means! (Romans 11:1).
Paul uses several verses from Scripture to remind his readers that not all Jews have followed Jesus.
Perhaps they haven’t been told about him. Nope, that’s not what the psalmist said.
Or maybe they don’t understand. Hmm, Moses said God would make Israel jealous using people they think can’t understand anything. Ouch!
Now he really puts the cat among the pigeons and reminds the Jews what Isaiah said: that God would seek out people who hadn’t even sought him out, the way the Jews did, and that when he reached out to the Jews, they would be nothing but mule-headed.
It’s looking worse and worse for the chosen people, and then Paul gets to the ultimate point: Has God rejected Israel? – after all of his promises to make them his holy nation, and to bring his salvation from them?
By no means! (Romans 11:1)
‘Just look here!’ says Paul. ‘I’m living proof! I’m a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin, and I am witness to the promise. I am one of those hard-hearted, stiff-necked people, and God sought me out. Despite my arrogance, my pride and my well-known persecution of Christ-followers, still, God ran after me.’
And I can stand with Paul in our time of fear and doubt, at a time when people ask, ‘Where is God? Has he rejected us?’
By no means! I’m living proof that God loves us, cares deeply for each of us, and has a plan for all of us.
How about you? Are you sitting on your laurels, or hanging on by a thread? Either way, can you claim, with Paul and me, ‘I’m living proof of the love of God in a person’s life’? You have a story to tell. A story of forgiveness and of God coming after you. It’s a story the world needs to hear. Let’s share our stories. Let’s testify to the love of Jesus. And let’s share that love with a world that desperately needs it.
Lord Jesus, your plan for our salvation began with one nation. And through this nation, you have called, blessed and redeemed all the peoples of the earth. Help us to witness our joy in you and your salvation. And help us to shine your love into the lives of others. Amen.
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