Remember my meltdown in April? When I came unglued and went Tammy Faye, ugly cry and all? Remember when I got a little dramatic about the edges of my beautiful field and woods where trees were felled and uprooted in the pushing back process? [Ignorance, 04-12-19]
This is what it looks like now…
I’m a little partial, but I think it is the most beautiful corn field I’ve ever seen. Now, I know that just because something is pretty doesn’t mean it’s right or good, and I know nothing about crops and growing corn, but we’re told it’s a really good looking crop and should have a high yield. I smile because here’s the thing…what I could not see in April has now been revealed to me. Farmer J. knew the truth of the matter was that you have to clean the fields up and push the edges back in order to glean the most and best from the land. I can now see the end result. Beautiful, unending rows of corn. Mystery solved.
I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud and start bragging. Some of the Jews have hard hearts, but this will last only until the complete number of gentiles comes to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved.
Romans 11:25-26
Mystery. What is a mystery? A whodonit? What does that mean? Maybe not what you think. It means truth revealed. God’s purpose, God’s truth, revealed to man. Made known. Manifested. Something formerly hidden or obscure, unseen or unseeable, now made known by God.
What mystery is Paul speaking about? That God’s salvation is for ALL, Jews and Gentiles alike! What’s a Gentile, essentially anyone that’s not a Jew – me, you. Mystery revealed! Paul was telling the Gentiles that the Jews were responsible for their (my, your) salvation! God’s chosen nation, responsible for our salvation, another reason to support Israel.
For since the Jews’ rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, how much more wonderful their acceptance will be. It will be life for those who are dead!
Romans 11:15
Their rejection brought me eternal life. I am no longer dead, you are no longer dead, if you know Christ. Life for the dead. Wow. Do you know anyone who is dead? If they aren’t a follower of Christ, not just an acknowledger of His existence, they are dead. That sounds harsh, but it is truth revealed. Plain and simple.
And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. So whoever has God’s Son has life; whoever does not have his Son does not have life.
I John 5:11-12
Just as the mystery was revealed in what I called “carnage,” which actually made a way for more yield of corn, God’s mysteries are revealed to us. In time. For ALL to know.
Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is or us to understand his decisions and his methods! For who can know what the Lord is thinking! Who knows enough to be his counselor? And who could ever give him so much that he would have to pay it back? For everything comes from him; everything exists by his power and is intended for his glory. To him be glory everymore. Amen.
Romans 11:33-36