God’s plan

Romans 11:25-36

²⁵ I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. ²⁶ And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say,

“The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem,
and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness.
²⁷ And this is my covenant with them,
that I will take away their sins.”

²⁸ Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. ²⁹ For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. ³⁰ Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. ³¹ Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy. ³² For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.

³³ Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

³⁴ For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to give him advice?
³⁵ And who has given him so much
that he needs to pay it back?

³⁶ For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

Often when I think about God’s plan, I immediately think about God’s plan for my life. What does he have planned for my family, for my career, for my ministry … etc.

Here is God’s plan – to have mercy on all, so that some might respond to his grace and become His people. He has not forgotten the Jews and He has shown he cares just as much about the rest of the world as well (Gentiles).

God’s plan is global, spans all history and will not be thwarted. His wisdom in carrying it out is perfect but unsearchable. Does God have a plan for my life? Yes! 

But it only makes sense in the context of this big plan.

Lord, you love me, care for me, search for me. But you have made me part of a plan that is far bigger than me.

Written by Andrew Mellor