Father, thank You for the many components of this day. Though some have torn me down, so many more have lifted me up. I am most grateful that I am whole in You!
Romans 1:5-7 (<<click here to read the passage)
One thing that never bothered me was being excluded from groups that set themselves apart as something special. I know many do struggle with wanting so desperately to be part of the “in” group. “Coming of age” movies are replete with storylines involving characters that went to all kinds of extremes to be included. Most of those storylines show their over-the-top efforts resulting in their being humiliated and rejected by said “in” group. But another thing that often happened was that they realized that when all was said and done, they didn’t need the group. In the end, they figured out that who they could have been in the group was nowhere near as wonderful as who they were just being themselves.
One thing that handicaps the church is the reputation (and oft times it is justly earned!) that we are an exclusive “in” group. “We have salvation. We have an “in” with God Himself. We are surely above sin and all its tag-a-log riffraff.” We say that outsiders are welcome to join us and often wear ourselves out trying to come up with ways to get those who are outside to come inside.
But the thing is, how often do we attach strings? “Oh, you _____?” (Insert any number of things – smoke, drink, cuss, party too hard, etc., etc.) And if the answer is “yes” they get an “Oh, well clean that up first, and then we’ll consider letting you in.”
“Believers” of that frame of mind are no different than the devout Jews of Paul’s day. God’s ultimate goal for Israel was that they would be the means by which God loved all of humanity. But they never grasped the reality or importance of that.
One thing that Herod’s Temple, the one Jesus frequented in His day, had was a Courtyard of Gentiles. It was supposed to have been a place where non-Jews could come and pray to the God of Israel. This was also the place where the Jewish leadership allowed just about anything that would discourage any Gentile from trying to pray there. This is where the moneychangers, sellers of animals, and all were to do their business. It was also the place that Jesus cleared out on two occasions. John 2:13-22 is one, and then there is Matthew 21:12-13.
Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” NLT
God loves us all. Period. No exclusions. No exceptions.
In today’s passage from Romans, Paul makes it very clear he, for one, is doing exactly what God had called them to do. To him it was a privilege…to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name. v5
He concludes this statement by saying,
And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. v6-7 NLT
I will add that the “you” he was talking about also includes us! We are all invited, and none are left out if we are willing to come to Him. Talk about Good News!
Sept 8th, 2022, Thurs, 6:38 pm
