August 8, 2023

Today's Reading: Romans 9:1-13

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 4:1-22, Acts 16:23-40

Romans 9:11: “in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls.”

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It’s a dangerous thing to look at missions and assume you’re more loving than God is.  Almost all of us have someone in our life outside of the faith.  Every single one of us is uncomfortable about it.  Even though God is the one who did the work to die and rise again to save us. Even though we cannot by our own reason or strength believe in this Jesus Christ our Lord or come to Him, we make it our “mission” to make sure someone else does.  What can we do? What can we say? How can we make them believe? Paul struggles with it, and I deeply understand his frustrations.  

To Paul’s people belong the promises, the Law, the worship, the covenants.  Yet not all of them are children of Abraham.  It is not as though the Word of God has failed, though.  Remember, God’s purpose of election, His love for sinners, is what first drove Him to the cross.  Do you think He loves us less this side of Easter, now that the painful part is over?  All who hear and receive God’s promises in faith hear because He calls.  Yes, some will hear and ignore.  Some will close their ears to the Law and the promises.  It doesn’t mean God doesn’t want them saved. After all, He calls them, which shows He wants them saved.  It also doesn’t fall on you to fix what God supposedly did wrong.  

There will be people who hate the promises, but they can’t unmake them.  It isn’t yours to save your friends anymore than it is Paul’s.  But God wants them saved even more than you do.  Even if they hate the promises now, they can’t unmake them.  So God will still proclaim, and the Holy Spirit will still work to call, gather, enlighten, sanctify, and even keep. Rest here. If there are such things as missions, recognize it is God who is at work, and simply take joy in the reality He cares about the people in your life enough to make promises to them over and over, and that His Word does not return void. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Elect from ev’ry nation, Yet one o’er all the earth; Her charter of salvation: One Lord, one faith, one birth. One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food, And to one hope she presses With ev’ry grace endued (The Church’s One Foundation LSB 644:2).

-Pastor Harrison Goodman is Content Executive for Higher Things.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the Pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.