For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
Rom. 11
Read Paul’s doxology (v. 33-36) out loud as a prayer. What does it say about God? About us? Paul continues to explain what I mentioned yesterday. God used the Jews to offer His mercy to the Gentiles and will use the Gentiles to bring the Jews back to His mercy. The Gentiles, who did not know God, came to know Him through the Jews. Then the Jews, who rejected God, return to Him because of the mercy God gave to the Gentiles. “For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all.” (Rom. 11:32). Profound. Even Paul acknowledged the great mystery of it all in these last three verses of chapter 11. And he, too, reminds us of who God is. “For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things.” (Rom. 11:36a).
Ezek. 19-20
All this talk in Ezekiel of fire consuming vines makes me think of the burning bush, from which God called Moses to bring His people out of Egypt. That bush stands apart in that it was not consumed by the fire. That makes me think again of how Jesus said that He is the true vine. He stands apart in that He is not condemned by God’s righteous judgment. Jesus is the new shoot, planted by God. Thus, I see Him as that bush that burns but is not consumed. When we become a part of the true vine, we too are spared, not from God’s fire, but from being consumed by it.
Ps. 131
Pray this psalm slowly and take some time to calm and quiet yourself before God. Acceptance. That’s what I see in this Psalm. A humble acknowledgment that God is all we need. Interesting that David uses the analogy of a weaned child. Perhaps a weaned child is at that point where, though it can seek sustenance from elsewhere, it does not think to because it has always received its sustenance from its mother. At the same time, that child is past the point of fussing and crying in its need. It is trusting and content. So should we be with God.