Romans 11:25-36

Be Still: Father, thank you for this new day that I get to spend with you. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit as I open up your Word. Amen

Read: Romans 11:25-36 

'for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable' (v29)

Encounter: I listened recently to a sermon from an old pastor of mine. He told a story about a church leaders conference that he was speaking at. Before he went on stage, he popped to the toilet and downloaded a rather nasty curry inspired mess from the night before. As he cleaned himself up, he dropped the signet ring given to him on the day he was ordained into the bowl. As he looked down, he couldn’t see the ring. He could see lots of other stuff. Now he had a choice – to flush it all away and buy another ring, or to go in after it. He went in!

It's a reminder of God’s approach to his children. We can screw it up big time, get it all wrong, create the most almighty mess and God doesn’t give up on us. He doesn’t flush us away and replace us with someone else. He goes in after us, pulls us out of the mess and cleans us up. Because we are precious to him, he loves us, and he doesn’t give up on those he loves. We see that throughout scripture with some of the heroes of our faith – Abraham, David, Moses, Peter – who all massively screwed up but whom God restored and continued to work powerfully through. 

Apply: God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. This means that there is nothing in your past that disqualifies you from the calling that God has placed on your life. That doesn’t mean there are no consequences to sin; but it does mean that he doesn’t change his mind about you because you screwed up. 

Spend a few moments asking God to remind you of the gifts he’s given you and the calling he’s placed on your life. Is there anything that you’ve disqualified yourself from because of something in the past? Today is the day to let that go and allow God to restore and reinstate you. 

Devote: Thank you God that you have never given up on me, that you’ve cleaned me up when I’ve messed up. Please remind me of my calling today.