By His Hands

DEVOTION
ROMANS
BY HIS HAND

Rom 10:16-21

16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: "Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."
19 Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, "I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding."
20 And Isaiah boldly says, "I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me."
21 But concerning Israel he says, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people." NIV
It is true, not everyone who hears the message accepts it. Why is that? Why do people refused to really hear and comprehend the significance of the message? From this passage we learn because the children of Israel refused to accept, God revealed himself to the gentiles, to me. And I am totally grateful for that! Still I cannot help but wonder and ponder on this act of refusal to accept the message by Israel in the past and still in the present. I also am a bit confounded by this act of refusal by so many people today. Do they not want to accept the message because they know it will require a turning away from their current lifestyle? This seems so odd to me, because the message simply offers eternal life if a person accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior. True, change will occur and perhaps they know that within their hearts, due to being enslaved too long by the evil one. Or perhaps because of their love for the actions they do. I only know, I have not yet achieved perfection after so many years of learning from Jesus how I should believe, think, and act. I know my Lord desires I grow in Him, that I learn from Him, that I believe in His ability to redeem me from sin. I also know that my God will continue to hold out His hand to me, even when I am disobedient and obstinate, as He does for the children of Israel and for all of mankind. As much as we, as people, turn our backs on those who refuse to accept us, He does not. It is by His hands I am held up, I am held close to Him. It is by His hands, He will never let me go. I am secure because of His hands.