Romans 11:25-36

Romans 11:25-26 (ESV)
25Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
    he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;

In the Loop

Have you ever been the last person to find out about a decision? Maybe you missed school and came back only to discover that a test had been announced while you were gone. Maybe leaders at work made a decision that affected your position, but no one invited you into the conversation. Or maybe it happened in your family, where plans were made about a vacation, a difficult situation, or even a major medical decision before you knew what was happening. Whatever the situation, most of us don’t like feeling like we are out of the loop.

Here Paul makes sure the Gentile believers are in the loop about what God is doing. Many within Israel had rejected Jesus, and through their rejection the gospel had gone out to the Gentiles. But Paul warns the Gentiles not to let their place in God’s family go to their heads. They had received salvation by grace, not because they were somehow better than Israel. And while God was bringing more Gentiles to faith, He had not abandoned His purposes for Israel. Israel’s present resistance did not mean God was finished with them.

Paul reveals this “mystery” because he wants to confront spiritual pride before it has a chance to take root in their hearts and blind them to what God is doing. The Gentiles could easily begin thinking they had replaced Israel or that Israel’s failures somehow made them superior. But Paul reminds them that they are recipients of grace, not examples of their own righteousness. Their responsibility was not to sit in judgment over Israel or understand every detail of God’s plan, but to humbly trust the God who was carrying it out. Their place in God’s family was not something they had earned. It was a gift of God’s grace.

Many of us still want to be in the loop, especially when it comes to what God is doing in someone else’s life. We wonder why they haven’t changed, why they keep resisting, or why God continues pursuing someone who seems far from Him. These verses remind us not to confuse someone’s present resistance with God’s finished work. Israel had rejected the prophets, rejected Jesus, and resisted the message of the apostles, yet God was still at work. So before we look down on someone else, we should remember how we got here. There is nothing in you or me that could ever earn righteousness, blessing, or salvation. The grace that saved us should humble us and remind us that God may still be working in the very people we are tempted to write off.

Practice This:

Take five minutes today and make two short lists. On the first, write down three things in your life that are only there because of God’s grace, things you could never earn or accomplish on your own. On the second, write down one situation where you do not know what God is doing or how things will turn out. Thank God for each item on the first list, then surrender the second list to Him. Let what you know about His grace help you trust Him with what you don’t know.

Prayer:

God, thank You for reminding me that everything I have received from You is because of Your grace. Keep pride from taking root in my heart and causing me to look down on others. When I am tempted to write someone off, help me remember that You are still at work. Give me humility to trust Your timing, patience with those who are far from You, and a heart that reflects the grace You have shown me. Amen.

Romans 11:27-28 (ESV)
“27‘and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” 28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.”

Beloved

There was a pastor who seemed to exude the life of Christ, not only in how he treated people, but in how he spoke about them. When he talked about his wife, even when she wasn’t present, he rarely used her name. He simply called her “my bride.” You could hear the love, respect, and gratitude in those two words. When he greeted fellow believers, he would often call them “man of God” or “woman of God,” a simple reminder of who they were and whose they were. And from the pulpit, regardless of who was in the room, he addressed the church as “beloved.” It wasn’t a strategy or clever language. It was an overflow of how he saw people through the heart of God.

Paul uses that same beautiful word when speaking about Israel: beloved. What makes it so remarkable is that many within Israel were presently resisting the gospel. Earlier, Paul described some as hardened and even experiencing a “spirit of stupor” (Romans 11:7-8). Yet here he calls them beloved because of God’s covenant promises to their forefathers. The Greek word carries the idea of being dearly loved, valued, and cherished. Israel had repeatedly failed to remain faithful to God, but their failure had not erased God’s faithfulness. Even as many resisted the gospel, God had not forgotten His promises or abandoned His purposes for them.

This reflects something we see throughout Scripture: God’s love does not begin with our goodness. John 3:16 tells us that God loved the world and gave His Son. Romans 5:8 says, “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” And 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.” God did not wait for us to clean ourselves up, become worthy, or take the first step toward Him before demonstrating His love. His love moved first. His love is not a reward for finally getting things right. His love is what moved Him toward us while we were still far from Him.

That truth can be challenging for some and incredibly hopeful for others. If you belong to Christ, you can live securely knowing that you are beloved by God, not because you earned that title, but because of His grace. And when you encounter someone who continues to resist Him, remember that God loved us while we were still sinners too. Instead of allowing someone’s sin, failure, or resistance to become the only thing we see, maybe we can learn something from that pastor. See people through the eyes of Christ. Speak to them with the dignity of someone God loves. And never forget that the God who pursued you is still pursuing people who seem far from Him.

Practice this:

Pay attention today to the words you use for people, especially those who frustrate you or are difficult to love. Before defining them by their behavior, failure, or resistance, intentionally remind yourself, “This is someone God loves.” Then let that truth change how you address them, speak about them, and treat them. You might even borrow the pastor’s practice and intentionally use words that communicate dignity, value, and love.

Prayer:

God, thank You for loving me before I ever reached for You. Help me see people through Your eyes rather than defining them by their worst moments. Change the way I think about them, speak about them, and speak to them. May the grace and love I have received from You overflow into the way I treat others, especially those who seem far from You. Amen.

Romans 11:29-32 (ESV)
“29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.”

And the Winner is…

There was an unforgettable moment at the 2017 Academy Awards when La La Land was announced as the winner of Best Picture. The cast and filmmakers made their way to the stage, celebrated, and even began giving their acceptance speeches. But behind the scenes, confusion erupted because the wrong winner had been announced. In the middle of their celebration, they were interrupted and told that Moonlight had actually won. In a matter of moments, what they thought had been given to them was taken back and handed to someone else.

Paul has spent much of Romans 11 making the case that although many within Israel had rejected Jesus, God had not rejected Israel. He even referred to them as “beloved” because of His promises to their forefathers. Now Paul takes it one step further: “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Unlike an award mistakenly handed to the wrong person, God had not made a mistake when He called Israel. Their disobedience had consequences, but it had not caused God to forget His promises or abandon His purposes. What God had promised, He was faithful to fulfill.

This should give us confidence in the character of God. He is not impulsive, changing His mind from one moment to the next. Our confidence is not found in our ability to perfectly understand His plans, but in His faithfulness to accomplish them. We don’t have to live wondering whether God will suddenly change His mind, revoke His promises, or abandon what He has begun. The God who calls is faithful.

But God’s faithfulness should never produce superiority. Paul reminds the Gentiles that they were once disobedient too, and the only reason their story changed was because they received mercy. Israel needed mercy. The Gentiles needed mercy. We need mercy. Ultimately, Paul brings everyone to the same place: the foot of the cross. There is no room for fear about God’s faithfulness and no room for pride in our own goodness. We can live secure without becoming superior, because everything we have received comes from the mercy of a faithful God.

Practice this:

Take a piece of paper and divide it into two columns. On one side, write “What I’m afraid of losing” and list anything you are tempted to hold onto tightly. On the other side, write “What I know about God” and list truths about His character and faithfulness. Spend a few minutes thanking God for His mercy and intentionally surrendering what you cannot control. Then choose one person you have been tempted to look down on and remind yourself: they need the same mercy I needed.

Prayer:

God, thank You that Your character does not change and Your faithfulness does not depend on my ability to understand everything You are doing. Help me trust You with what I cannot control and rest in what You have promised. Keep that security from turning into pride. Remind me that everything I have received is because of Your mercy and help me extend that same mercy to others. Amen.

Romans 11:33 (ESV)
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”

Praise Break

When was the last time you were in awe of God? Maybe it was when you got the job or promotion you had been praying so hard for. Maybe you were surrounded by God’s creation and overwhelmed by the beauty of what He had made. Maybe it was holding your child for the first time, amazed by the precious life God had entrusted to you. Or maybe you were worshipping, remembering how far you had fallen and how the grace of God met you right where you were.

Here Paul takes a moment to have a praise break, overwhelmed by a plan only God could orchestrate. These were the people Paul cared so deeply about that in chapter 9 he said he would be willing to be cut off from Christ if it meant they could be saved. In chapter 10, he described his heart’s desire and prayer for Israel’s salvation. Now, after wrestling with their rejection of Jesus, their responsibility to respond, God’s mercy toward the Gentiles, and His continued faithfulness to Israel, Paul sees something bigger. God’s plan had not failed. God was working through circumstances Paul never could have orchestrated himself.

It is almost as if Paul’s mind reaches its limit, and when he can go no further, he worships: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!” Paul still doesn’t understand everything, but what he does understand is enough to leave him in awe. His worship becomes a declaration of trust: God knows what He is doing even when Paul can’t understand what He is doing. Paul doesn’t need every answer before he can praise God. What he knows about God’s character allows him to trust God with everything he doesn’t know.

When was the last time you took a praise break? Have you been so busy trying to understand what God is doing that you have forgotten to worship Him for who He is? Maybe you are waiting for an answer, trying to make sense of a situation, or asking God to explain something that just doesn’t make sense. Learn from Paul. You don’t need all the answers to give God all the praise. Focus on what you already know about His proven character and trust Him with what you don’t. Even when His ways are beyond your understanding, He is still worthy of your worship. So today, take a praise break.

Practice this:

Take a praise break today. It doesn’t have to be complicated or long. Turn on a worship song and sing along, take a walk and thank God out loud for what you see, write down five things God has done in your life, read a Psalm of praise aloud, or simply stop for a few minutes and tell God what you love about Him. Whatever you choose, resist the urge to ask Him for anything during this time. Simply pause and praise God for who He is and what He has already done.

Prayer:

God, You are greater than anything I could fully understand. Forgive me for the times I have been so focused on getting answers that I have forgotten to worship You. Today I choose to praise You for who You are. You are wise, faithful, good, and worthy of my trust. Help me stand in awe of what I know about You and trust You with everything I don’t. Amen.

Romans 11:34-36 (ESV)
“34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

The Not-So-Secret Meaning of Life

Do you know why you exist at this moment in time? Why did God make you, place you in the family you have, give you certain opportunities, or walk with you through particular hardships? These are questions believers and nonbelievers alike wrestle with. Sometimes we can become so consumed with discovering our purpose that we struggle to enjoy where we are or step into what is next because we are afraid of making the wrong decision. It makes sense to wrestle with questions about our identity and purpose, but Paul gives us an answer every person needs to hear: You exist for a reason. You were born on purpose and with purpose.

Paul continues the praise break we looked at last time, worshipping God even though he doesn’t understand every detail of what God is doing. Instead of demanding answers, Paul surrenders to the wisdom of an all-knowing God. He recognizes that God does not need his advice, nor does God owe him an explanation. Instead, Paul rests in the truth that God sees what he cannot see and understands what he can’t. Everything is “from Him and through Him and to Him.” He expresses something similar in Colossians 1:16: “For by Him all things were created... all things have been created through Him and for Him.” Everything begins with God, is sustained by God, and ultimately exists for the glory of God.

Be encouraged, especially if you have wrestled with the question, “What is the purpose of my life?” Paul could look you in the eye without knowing your imperfections, your background, your education, or everything you have been through and still give you an answer: “You exist for the glory of God.” Your life is from Him, sustained through Him, and ultimately for Him. God has given you gifts, wisdom, opportunities, and grace, and He desires to work through your life in ways that point people back to Him. So, when someone asks, “How did you make it through that? How did you experience freedom? How did God use you like that?” you can echo Paul and say, “To Him be glory forever.”

Beloved, your life means more than you could ever imagine. You were not created simply to build a career, accumulate possessions, achieve success, or even discover the perfect plan for your life. You were created to know God, walk with Him, and bring Him glory with the life He has given you. So maybe the better question isn’t simply, “What is God’s purpose for my life?” but “How can my life bring glory to God?” You may not know everything God will do with your life, but you already know what your life is for: His glory.

Practice this:

Ask yourself one question throughout your day: “How can this bring glory to God?” Ask it before you walk into work, spend time with your family, make a decision, have a difficult conversation, or use the gifts God has given you. At the end of the day, take five minutes to reflect on where you saw opportunities to glorify God and where you might approach tomorrow differently.

Prayer:

God, thank You for giving my life meaning and purpose. Everything I have is from You, sustained through You, and ultimately belongs to You. When I become consumed with figuring out every detail of my future, bring me back to what I already know. Help me live today in a way that points people toward You. Use my gifts, relationships, opportunities, and even my struggles for Your glory. Amen.