NOW THAT IS A STORY THAT BEATS ANYTHING

One of my favorite parts of summer is looking forward to the movies that are released from Hollywood. Action adventure, comedy, and the latest science fiction story told with great music, a comfortable chair, and the theaters air conditioning bring me joy just thinking about the enjoyment and wonder of the story.

In Romans chapter 11 God shares His grand narrative of Sovereign-grace for His people – all His people. God’s redemptive plan of grace began at creation, endured the Fall, was communicated by Moses and the prophets, continued through the judges, kings, and then exploded onto the scenes with the birth of the Savior. God’s grace is embodied by Jesus and the Apostles and early church where we come to Paul writing to the believers in Rome. After outlining the universal need for a savior and the blessings that were handed first to the Jews, God through Paul describes in chapter 11 how, in His sovereignty He used the hardness of Jewish hearts to bring “reconciliation to the world” (Romans 11:15).

I pray that I may begin to understand how God could love me so much that centuries ago He would use the rejection, jealousy, and envy of the very people He set aside for the coming of the Messiah to open a path for me to be saved. And as we read a few days ago, He not only opened the path, He chose me when I was running the wrong direction on the wrong path and set me on His path and will make sure I don’t fall away from it (Romans 8:29-30).

Now that is a story that beats anything that will ever be produced in Hollywood.