and the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to abraham, saying, “in you shall all the nations be blessed.” [galatians 3:8]
sometimes i read the bible as though i am a jew.
considering myself among God’s chosen people, when i read about the assyrians, about nineveh, babylon, asia, egypt, and other gentile outsiders, i don’t place myself with them. in my mind, i am with the jews. but when i stop and think, i am the outsider. i am from assyria. from asia. a babylonian at heart. a heathen from nineveh or egypt, destined for destruction because of my pagan practices and idol worship. this puts me in my place, and i am humbled.
but thanks be to God and his magnificent plan of redemption to bless all nations through the promise made to abraham. he believed the word of the Lord, and his faith was counted as righteousness. and so through this same kind of faith, we are no longer an outsider looking in. we are an outsider who is brought in. we are an outsider who is welcomed and rejoiced over. we are blessed. we are blessed to be grafted into the family of God. we are blessed to be covered by the blood of Christ through the new covenant. we are blessed to have God dwell with us and in us through the gift of the Spirit. we are brought near to God, hallelujah! what more could we possibly need?
today, stop and think about this amazing truth and in the presence of God, praise him for his mind blowing plan of redemption. we are foreigners, welcomed into the presence of the Creator, grafted into his family by grace through faith alone. believe his promises. in Christ Jesus, God’s promises are for you!
therefore remember that at one time you gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. but now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. [ephesians 2:11-13]
~ arwen eastman