God’s Mercy, Our Praise
Romans 11:25-36
📖 Scripture
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,
26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,
29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience,
31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you.
32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?”
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
📝 Scripture Summary
Paul says Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of Gentiles comes in. Then, all Israel will be saved, as it is written. They are loved on account of the patriarchs, and God’s gifts and call are irrevocable. God has bound everyone over to disobedience in order to have mercy on all. Paul ends with a doxology of God’s wisdom.
📖 Memory Verse
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
– Romans 11:33
🔎 Reflection
Great and Wonderful Mercy (11:25–32)
Paul wants the Gentiles to know that all Israel will be saved after the full number of Gentiles are saved. This is mysterious because much of Israel does not believe in Jesus as their Savior, but Gentiles coming to faith will signal the rise of Israel’s faith. We see that salvation history is designed to feature God’s wonderful mercy, of which we are all recipients. We, as brothers and sisters in Christ, cannot draw distinctions among ourselves based on how Christ saved us. God’s salvific mercy rains upon us all. Let us therefore not measure ourselves against one another according to our obedience or disobedience but instead encourage faithfulness in one another and see each other as equally loved by the Father.
Reflect on whether you draw distinctions between your salvation and the salvation of others. Share with God how you feel about His mercy being offered to all.
O Praise Him! (11:33–36)
After a thorough explanation of God’s salvation plan for His people, Paul appropriately concludes his letter with divine praise. He offers an honorific doxology to the One who transcends all and stands sovereign over all things. He extols the depths of God’s wisdom and knowledge and His unsearchable judgments and paths, which are greater than any human could fathom. Paul quotes Isaiah 40:13 and Job 41:11, expressing his admiration for God. May we follow Paul’s example in glorifying our Lord. Let us reflect on God’s past faithfulness and ongoing fulfillment of His divine plan and be moved by how great and wonderful He is. May we bestow glory, majesty, admiration, respect, and honor to our Lord Jesus Christ!
What do you love most about the Lord? Praise God, letting Him know how you feel about Him.
🌟 Today’s Inspiration
“Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise Him, all creatures here below; praise Him above, ye heav’nly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”
– Thomas Ken
🙏 Prayer
Dear God, all good things come from You and through You. I cannot see what You can see or understand what You understand. Still, use me to glorify You forever. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
🖋 Essay
What Praise Is Not
A robot, a parrot, and a man are at church. The robot, using artificial intelligence, generates a forty-word prayer of praise: “God Almighty, we exalt Your holy name. Your grace is endless, Your power unmatched, and Your mercy everlasting. We praise You for Your faithfulness and goodness. May all creation worship You, now and forever. You are worthy, O Lord. Amen.” The parrot nearby hears the robot’s praise and repeats it. The man adjacent to the robot and parrot is mindful to praise God with his own words, proclaiming, “God, You gave me a promotion at my company. I now have access to higher pay, greater status, and more opportunities. I am looking forward to my new job. I will do my best. I know that I have a great future in my work. Amen.”
This story may sound a little odd, but it does a good job at illustrating what praising God is not. As beautiful as the robot’s words are, real praise requires thoughtfulness and intention, both of which stem from a conscious mind. While the parrot also proclaims the same words, the lack of sincere love for God and any understanding of the prayer’s content makes it impossible to accept the parrot’s words as genuine. Lastly, the man may think he loves God and understand what he is saying, but his praise is not outward toward God but inward toward himself. Unlike the machine, animal, and self-focused person, let us truly praise God by expressing our love and admiration to Him for who He is and what He has done.
Written by John Pai