God's Heart: Romans 11, April 30, 2020

Romans 11 shares with the us design of God's heart in bringing both Israel and the Gentiles together in Christ. God's saving purpose happened, according to Ephesians 1:4, "before the foundation of the world." Verse 32 settles the matter: "For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that HE MIGHT HAVE MERCY ON THEM ALL."

God's heart is for all people to come to the place of not only seeing their need of a Savior, but receiving Christ as their Lord.

Paul breaks into such a beautiful hymn of praise at the end of this chapter. I would invite you to read it out loud as a praise to the Lord today:

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay Him? FOR FROM HIM AND THROUGH HIM AND TO HIM ARE ALL THINGS! TO HIM BE THE GLORY FOREVER! AMEN!"

God's heart was for you and me and all of humankind to have sweet fellowship with Him! Not only that, but we are His children, His inheritance! God has chosen us to serve Him faithfully in love and the grace and strength that He provides for us each and every day.

If God's heart was so full of kindness and grace to bring us all to the place of salvation, can He not gently bring us through this time of pandemic? Can He not help us all to be peaceful and to have hope in the waiting until such a time as we are gathered again to celebrate His goodness?