The Mystery Of Mercy

On occasion, Nicole and I (more so Nicole) enjoy the challenge of putting together a 1,000-piece jig­saw puzzle. Other people might get the daily newspaper and do the crossword puzzle or Sudoku. Still others use various phone apps – Wordle anyone?But sometimes our puzzles can end up puzzling us; and this is how it was for the apostle Paul. Throughout Romans 11 Paul has been wrestling with the puzzle of the relationship between Jews and Gentiles. As a Jew, by the grace of God he had come to know Jesus as his Savior. Then as he went about doing his missionary work, many Gentiles came to faith in Jesus as Lord but many of his own Jewish people rejected Jesus. It “Boggled” his mind.Yet this mystery didn’t leave him searching in the darkness. Paul was so confident that God would bring the Jewish people to faith that he broke into song:“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!”(Romans 11:33) As we will be reminded this week: Theology leads to doxology.My prayer for us is that as we continue to study these deep and difficult things, God will lead us higher into His mercy. Mercy that is deeper than our sin, mercy that none of us can earn or repay, mercy that is wider than our narrow assumptions, and mercy that stretches across generations to reach Jews and Gentiles through Christ Jesus.May our worship be focused this week on the One who is merciful!Grace & Peace, Pastor Aaron