Romans 10: Open Arms

Key Verse
21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands…”
 
Meditation
Belief is all we need to turn to the open arms of our Father. From His embrace, God sends His people to share His salvation everywhere.
 
Paul grieves for Israel. They had zeal for God but lacked true knowledge, seeking to establish their own righteousness rather than submitting to God’s (vv. 1-3). Though God’s word was near to them, they still tried to achieve righteousness through their own effort. Still, the Father’s posture remained the same, His hands stretched out “all day long” to a disobedient people (v. 21).
 
The gospel declares a better way. “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (v. 4). Righteousness is not achieved through religious striving but received through faith, “believing in our hearts” (v. 9). Salvation is not earned by heroic spiritual effort or religious zeal from knowledge, but received through humble trust in the finished work of Jesus.

The open-armed love of the Father is emphasized by His pleasure to use His people to share His love with the world. Paul traces the trajectory in four verbs (vv. 14-15):
Sent: God is a sending God. The Father sent the Son, and they sent the Spirit. His people are now sent for participation in God’s mission.
Preach: The gospel advances through simple proclamation, the good news of Jesus declared with our lips and lives.
Hear: Hearing is more than sound; it is understanding the truth of God’s word.
Believe: Faith is the decisive response, resting fully in Christ and His righteousness for salvation.
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Those who believe become messengers of the same grace that saves them, and their feet are beautiful. 
 
Today’s Reading
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 
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The Message of Salvation to All
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching?15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for
“Their voice has gone out to all the earth,
    and their words to the ends of the world.”
19 But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,
“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;
    with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”

20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,
“I have been found by those who did not seek me;
    I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”
21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the open-handed love of our Heavenly Father, emphasized with the command for His people to carry the message of His love to the world?
 
-Where do you struggle more- knowing the love of God or sharing the love of God?
 
-How does the finished work of Jesus deepen your security to know the love of the Father and to show His love to the world? Where do you need to know/ show/ share this message (be specific)?
 
Key Verse
21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands…”