Romans 11:22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.
As I read these verses, in my current state of mind five weeks into the school year, the thought that occurred to me is: Jesus must be exhausted. There’s so much monitoring, so much regrading if you will, to see if mercy, re-grafting is deserved, to see if a different branch needs cutting off due to unbelief.
Romans 11:23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
That is my own exhausted humanity speaking. I am thankful that God doesn’t function as I do. He doesn’t need sleep. He doesn’t have a finite number of hours in His day. He doesn’t get tired or frustrated or fed up.
Romans 11:24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
Lord, I pray to You verses 33-36, the doxology: Oh, the depth of Your riches of wisdom and knowledge! How unsearchable are Your judgments, and Your paths beyond tracing out! Who has known Your mind? Who has been Your counselor? Who has ever given to You, that You should repay them? For from You and through You and for You are all things. To You be the glory forever! Amen.
Romans 11:25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in….
Have a blessed day.