The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Hebrews 11:6,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"… without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
As I think of all the things God might have asked of us to please him, how astonishing it is that it is faith and faith alone he asks of us.
He might have asked us to expend our lives in the service of others like Mother Teresa. He might have asked us to be completely without sin. He might have asked us to contribute to the welfare of others in some way, he might have asked us to give away everything we own. He might have asked us to live an ascetic lifestyle, he might have asked us to eat a certain diet. He might have asked us to perform in all kinds of ways… but he has not asked any of these of us to be counted as his children. He has asked us to embrace him in faith. John 1:12 tells us that as many as received him, to those who believe in his name he has given the right to be called children of God! As his children we may be asked to express that faith in many different ways, including some of the above – but only as his children… but not to become his child.
In Romans 9 Paul begins the chapter by telling us that God has the prerogative to choose whom and what he wants. Paul points to Isaac, Jacob and Pharaoh as examples of when God has exercised his prerogative to choose. Paul finishes up that chapter by informing us that the people God has chosen for himself are those who will embrace him in faith. He puts it this way in Romans 9:30-33,
"What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 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.'"
As I think of it this morning, I am reminded that the power of the gospel message can be found in that all who hear and can understand the message can greet it with faith. I don't have to join this group, adhere to that theology, perform this service or qualify in some other way. Jesus Christ did it all and all he asks is that we embrace him in the faith Abraham modeled for us.
As we are told in Romans 4:18-24, "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations… he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.' The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead."
How wonderful my status as a child of God came not from my performance, but from what Jesus Christ did for me. Had it depended on my performance, I would have never made it into his family.
As I think of all the things God might have asked of us to please him, how astonishing it is that it is faith and faith alone he asks of us.
He might have asked us to expend our lives in the service of others like Mother Teresa. He might have asked us to be completely without sin. He might have asked us to contribute to the welfare of others in some way, he might have asked us to give away everything we own. He might have asked us to live an ascetic lifestyle, he might have asked us to eat a certain diet. He might have asked us to perform in all kinds of ways… but he has not asked any of these of us to be counted as his children. He has asked us to embrace him in faith. John 1:12 tells us that as many as received him, to those who believe in his name he has given the right to be called children of God! As his children we may be asked to express that faith in many different ways, including some of the above – but only as his children… but not to become his child.
In Romans 9 Paul begins the chapter by telling us that God has the prerogative to choose whom and what he wants. Paul points to Isaac, Jacob and Pharaoh as examples of when God has exercised his prerogative to choose. Paul finishes up that chapter by informing us that the people God has chosen for himself are those who will embrace him in faith. He puts it this way in Romans 9:30-33,
"What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 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.'"
As I think of it this morning, I am reminded that the power of the gospel message can be found in that all who hear and can understand the message can greet it with faith. I don't have to join this group, adhere to that theology, perform this service or qualify in some other way. Jesus Christ did it all and all he asks is that we embrace him in the faith Abraham modeled for us.
As we are told in Romans 4:18-24, "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations… he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.' The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead."
How wonderful my status as a child of God came not from my performance, but from what Jesus Christ did for me. Had it depended on my performance, I would have never made it into his family.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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