Monday
Paul is turning his attention to the Jewish Christians and the division that is taking place between them and the Gentile Christians. God has a special place for the Israelites. They were the ones entrusted with the Law and the Temple… they would be the nation that would give birth to the savior, the messiah. It is from this lineage that Jesus was born into. But Paul also acknowledges that many of his fellow Jews turned their back on this adoption by rejecting Christ.
Paul is so passionate about saving his people that he wishes he could take their place. But we know that is not possible. But from this passionate writing we find that saving souls should be our top priority. Lesser things should not trouble us, all that should matter are winning souls for Christ. Charles H. Spurgeon writes about this perspective of winning people for Jesus – how nothing else should matter to us.
“Get love for the souls of men – then you will not be whining about a dead dog, or a sick cat, or about the crotchets of a family, and the little disturbances that John and Mary may make by their idle talk. You will be delivered from petty worries (I need not further describe them) if you are concerned about the souls of men … Get your soul full of a great grief, and your little griefs will be driven out.” (Spurgeon)
Really, where are your priorities? If more Christians felt this overwhelming and urgent need to witness to people, other issues would seem to become very insignificant.
Paul also talks about people hardening their hearts to God. We find the scriptures full of people who have turned away from God. What causes someone to harden their heart? Willful disobedience and rebellion, along with a stubborn refusal to listen to God. When we think we can live our lives in opposition to what God has intended for us, causes us to stop relying on God and looking only to our own means… we begin to turn away more and more. There is also the problem of not giving God the credit for our blessings and being discontent with what we have. When we think we deserve or are entitled to riches… we forget that all we have comes from God and God always supplies our daily needs.
So maybe today is a good day to stop whining about insignificant things, to stop rebelling against God and just rejoice in the day!!
Grace and Peace
Pastor Kathy