Romans 4-9
Genesis 10-26
If we didn’t imagine God’s personal intervention in humanity . . . there is no doubt now! Not only in the ones chosen to be blessed . . .but also even those not even looking for God (like Abimelech)
I love seeing that no one’s story is finished before it is done. God is persistent; faith matures; God is merciful; His purposes are accomplished.
God has a plan.
Sin is much more horrible that we would like to admit or imagine. God’s grace is amazing and completely undeserved. The term “in Christ” . . .oh, the mercy . . .
What did you notice this week?
Plea for Grace 
I’ve been thinking all week about the sin vs righteousness verses in Romans. Particularly being slaves of sin and being set free because of Christ’s righteousness. The thought came to me. . . What slave ever said I’ve been set free, now let me rejoice, but then I want to go back to my life of slavery. How many times do I willingly submit myself to the master of sin instead of clinging to the righteousness of Christ? The thought of returning to slavery voluntarily paints a vivid picture.
And God’s incredible mercy that sets me free from slavery to sin, and makes me his daughter, not another slave!
It has made me think too about slavery vs free. Slavery was so much a life style for them for so long. They must have been comfortable in it as it was their way of life. Not that it was comfortable but that it was familiar to them. They knew of nothing else. So learning to live free was a very big deal like what does that look like how do I do that. Can I really live free? They had to learn a whole new way of living. I see this in today too as positionally we are free in an instant when we accept Christ but we then need to learn to live free, a whole new lifestyle. Those old slavery habits sometimes keep calling our name to return to them just because it’s what we knew. But thanks to God in his mercy and grace and only with His patience and power in our lives we can live free in a whole new lifestyle which honors and brings glory to Him.
Chapter 9:1-2 Romans…It hit my heart hard …Paul great distress and anguish over those who did not know the truth! I soo made me think of unsaved loved ones and other people too! Do we, do I, have the same kind of heart for them as Paul does? Col 4; 18, says, Remember my chains, Grace be with you! Do we remember their chains that have bound them? Do we pray for them with great concern and persistence? I had to really and think about that!
we all need that kind of love!
Edna, that does make me stop and think. Do we really think of the unsaved with distress and anguish. That paints such a different picture from the way most churches look at the unsaved.
Distressed and anguish are such stronger feelings requiring so much more compassion. What a change in Paul’s life.