Romans 9:22-33
What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath–prepared for destruction? 23What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory– 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea: “I will call them `my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her `my loved one’ who is not my loved one,” 26 and, “It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, `You are not my people, ‘they will be called `sons of the living God.'” 27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved. 28 For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”
29 It is just as Isaiah said previously: “Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom ,we would have been like Gomorrah.”30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the “stumbling stone.” As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
Doug McCoy
First Christian Church – Pleasant Hill
Observation: Lord Jesus, I see that I, a Gentile, have been made a child of God through Your sacrifice. Through nothing but grace alone, I have been brought over the stumbling stone and brought into Your family.
Action: I will remind myself today that my true identity comes from my adoption by grace into God’s family. I will thank God that He has kept me from stumbling over the Stone and praise Him for being so gracious not only to me but to the millions like me who are trusting in Him today.
Lord, Sweet Lord of this morn,
Thank You for Your love call. I bow in awe of the miraculous work You do. Your Rescuing Hand reaches down and pulls me out of my swamp. Your Mighty Hand wraps over and shields me. Your Merciful Hand woos me back. Your Grace Giving Hand reaches in and marks my heart. Your Holy Hand reaches out and rises hope. You have set great things before me. You have placed wonderful restoration upon my path. You have breathed revival across the terrain of my heart. Split me open today. Peer deep inside. Amplify faith, not works. Surge truth, not theory.
Rise trust. May trust overcome me today.
Thank You Lord, Amen.
Observation: I am a part of this world of people who are deservedly objects of his wrath, but through his own choice, he has made us objects of his mercy.
Action: I will be intentionally thankful, focus on his patience and goodness, and choose to bring him glory.
Observation: I observe Father how Paul leads with questions like, “What if God_________________?” If God is God and God does something, I suppose it would be alright being God and all. Then he takes that affirmations and backs it up with, “like Hosea said, like Isaiah said________________.” Its as if these are the things God has been saying and showing us all along. Hmm.
Action: Father I see you are consistently looking for a way of life (works) that flow out of a way of trusting (faith). The life is the outcome of the faith and faith always leads to relationship. Today as I go see long time not seen friends my I affirm and walk in faith relationship with you. Thank you for your mercy.