SCRIPTURE: Romans 10
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” [Matthew 23:37] Can you sense the pain and sorrow in Jesus’ heart? Paul shares this pain and sorrow [remember Romans 9:2]. But the Jews of Jesus’ day were not willing. Not willing to receive God’s charity, they wanted to earn it on their own.
Sure, Paul notes, they were zealous for doing what was right and good. But they completely missed the point. They thought that if they tried hard enough, they could be good enough – and shame on the rest who do not try hard like them, those sinners need to be condemned. Their zeal was not based on knowledge, knowing the truth that no matter how hard they tried they could not earn God’s love.
Paul explains again that the way to receive God’s love is just believe it and accept it by faith. Believe in your heart and express with your mouth. All who call on God’s Name this way are freely forgiven and welcomed. Its not because sin is not serious; rather it’s because sin is so serious that only God could deal with it, and He did that through Jesus, on the cross. Sin is so serious that we can’t overcome it ourselves. Try as we might, we cannot break free from its grip.
This is the good news! Jesus sets us free from the failure of the Law, i.e. the fact that the Law could only condemn us since we could not fulfill it. Like standing before a 20ft high jump – seeing it only confirms our inability; try as we might, we cannot jump it. Our only hope is if our representative does it for us, and therefore we do it through Him.
Now, because of Jesus, we do not need to be worried about failure. He is our success. Now we can jump as high as we can, and God accepts it as good enough, since Jesus made the big jump for us. All we have to do is accept this. Can we? Will we? Or will we refuse God’s charity? Will Jesus be weeping about us one day, because we were not willing?
PRAYER:
Lord, thank You for succeeding for me. Thank You for releasing me from the burden of doing the impossible. Thank You that I can do the best I can do, with Your help, and that’s good enough for You!
Once again, I hear the Good News! Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved! And this saving faith comes by loving from the heart, knowing in your mind and doing by your actions. The head, the heart and the hands.
Others also must hear that news – to have ears that hear. God has commissioned His people to share that news, wherever they be. Blessed are those who share the gospel in their daily affairs. Kingdom messengers. The great commission. And Christ Jesus stands at the door ready to receive all those who believe.
Do the hearers of the word have a heart of stone and go their own way or do they have eyes that see, ears that hear, hands that do according to the word of the Lord freely given?
Help me in my walk this day Lord – to walk in Your Way as a living witness.
Teach me, O Lord, Thy way of truth,
And from it I will not depart;
That I may steadfastly obey,
Give me an understanding heart.
In Thy commandments make me walk,
For in the law my joy shall be;
Give me a heart that loves Thy will,
From discontent and envy free.
Turn Thou my eyes from vanity,
And cause me in Thy ways to tread;
O let Thy servant prove Thy Word,
And thus to godly fear be led.
Turn Thou away reproach and fear,
Thy righteous judgments I confess;
To know Thy precepts I desire,
Revive me in Thy righteousness.