God Does The Grafting
by Gina Ellis
Do you recall the first time that you felt the true, deep, unending love of God? It may have been recently or many years ago, but if you search your heart, I promise your spirit will recall what that felt like in your body and mind.
Now think of someone that you love and never want to be torn apart from, what lengths would you go to ensure that you could stay together? God loves each of us and them infinitely more.
In Romans 11, Paul writes exactly toward this same heart of God. Paul includes the implications of what God has done to ensure that we all, Gentile and Jew, will come to know about the mystery of Christ who brings us back to God, grafted into the original vine root. Sounds great, right? This will be accomplished in His timing and in His way, which we in our humanness may not always think is so great on this side of heaven.
Like children we often whine at God over His ways, “Why?”; “No!”; “I want to do it my way (pouty face emoji)”. In this passage we learn the why. Through Paul’s writing we also have our worst fears (eternal separation from God) laid to rest. There are two additional pieces to this unveiling of God’s plans, I feel it important to remember. The first is how Paul reminds us that any of the grafting is done by God’s grace alone, not works, to accomplish eternal peace. The second is written for both the Jew and the Gentile separately, an admonishing warning: to the Jews “…do not be arrogant of the branches...” and to the Gentiles he wrote “.…do not become proud”, each over the fate of the others’ brokenness or grafting.
Well now, doesn’t that just poke us in the ribs, take a bit of the wind out of our self-righteous sails?
If you have been human for 5 decades, or 5 years, you have probably experienced both sides of those two coins: grace and works, pride and brokenness. Those same two coins have also caused the Church to struggle as well.
Reflecting on the last year, I wonder if we are in a season that God has shut the ears and eyes of many of His chosen to welcome in those who have come to know God newly or anew? Could the totality of the message in Romans chapter 11 be for those of us in this exact moment, today, in 2021?
So many churches have closed, while others have grown with record numbers of baptisms or unexplained increases in resources. Amid separation and isolation, the chaos of the world has crept into our houses of worship challenging us with everything the enemy can throw at us. Division, violence, fear, and the noise of society nearly demanding us to change or twist the gospel. As we seek to find our voice in the place that God has planted us, His Church, too often we end up fighting each other instead of loving others.
Whether as individuals or a community of believers, we owe each other the space to figure it out in God’s love and time. Paul reminds us that God does the grafting. That the mystery of Christ is for Him to reveal to whom and when and how He pleases. So, what are we to do?
Love. Love the Lord your God and love your neighbor. That was and remains the commandment of Christ.
I had a co-worker who daily wore a bracelet embossed with the words “YOU ARE LOVED”. He didn’t have to share a scripture address or tell what church he attended. Every person that he shared the message with, never forgot. He is retired now, but folks still remember, and I see in pictures of his post retirement fun that he still sports the bracelet.
Friends, if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you have been grafted into the vine. I don’t know about you, but I am so grateful our heavenly Father continues to chase after every one of the lost. It’s from that deep well of God I want to invite and welcome others to experience the love of God through the Bride of Christ, His Church.
Call to Action
Pray, read, and reflect on these scriptures this week.
Romans chapter 11
Colossians 1:26-27
Deuteronomy 6:4-7; Mark 12:29-31
Ephesians 2:19-22
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Hebrews 10:25
Romans 13:10
For Reflection
1. Consider God’s love for you, the times he has sought you out, redeemed you, covered you with his grace. A favorite song to listen to while reflecting is “How He Loves” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCunuL58odQ
2. We have each been the chosen and the gentile. Have you ever been jealous of another person’s faith? Bring that to God and ask Him to show you how much He loves you.
3. When have you caught yourself being boastful in your faith and how could you respond differently in the future?
4. Prayerfully consider the following questions. How can you become a more welcoming follower of Jesus as an individual, within your church, in your community?
