Today’s scripture: Romans 11:1-10 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Genese Parker):
I have always had a hard time asking for help. Whether it is because I wanted to prove that I could do something, or because I was afraid to admit that I needed help, the result was still the same. I found myself struggling through certain tasks that would have been completed faster, easier and with better results if I had only asked for help. In some cases I have even turned down help that was offered to me, even though it was clear to me and the person offering that help, that I needed it.
I have often wondered what it was that kept the Israelites from accepting God’s grace that was offered to them through the ministry of Jesus Christ. God gives his people grace because God knows that we as humans are not capable of following all the rules or the Law, as the Israelites referred to it. At the same time, I can relate to the desire of the Israelites to prove that they were capable of keeping The Law fully.
There is a certain level of pride involved for me when I try to do something difficult without asking for help. Somehow, I think that if I can do it “all by myself” I will somehow be proving how smart and capable I am. To accept grace for me involves humility, admitting that I can’t do it all by myself. At a certain point, if I am very determined to complete the task by myself, I become stubborn. People can be asking me if I need help left and right, and the more people ask, the more steadfast I cling to proving to them that I can do it all by myself. Perhaps, this is what it means to have a “a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear” as is described in Romans 11:8.
The way I see it, we have two choices. We can choose to struggle through life, striving to prove that we are completely perfect through our own hard work, and risk failing miserably. Or we can choose to accept the grace of God who knows that as human beings we are not capable of such perfection, yet loves us anyway.
Thought for the day: How might God be calling you to embrace the free gift of grace? In what ways have you tried to prove yourself, or earn acceptance rather than accepting God’s grace?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.