Romans 10 - Tuesday 7th May

Today’s chapter is Romans 10

Tom writes:

People’s strongest objections tend to flow from emotional responses. One of the biggest stumbling blocks in the first century was a feeling that Paul’s God had abandoned the Jews. It didn’t seem right that the zealous nation would be passed over and idolatrous sinners be favoured instead. If Paul’s God acts like that, can I trust him with my life? The inevitable end-point of those “feelings” was churches separating into factions, with each faction worshipping the God who felt best to them. All Paul has said so far in Romans would fall on rocky soil if saints started self-selecting emotionally easy views of God. So Paul lovingly addresses this. Paul was a brilliant theologian and philosopher but when he addressed this emotionally-driven issue he chose to wear a pastor’s clothes. Paul twice quotes from Isaiah 28; “the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame”. This is a verse of reassurance. It speaks to emotions. It soothes anxieties. Paul acknowledges the emotional challenge of what has happened to Israel.

He exposes the depths of his soul in how he has grappled with his God. But he makes clear that those emotions need to be brought to scripture, to be yielded to his God rather than expect God to yield to them. In a genius twist Paul shows that Israel’s awful plight has been caused by this mistake; they have been so devoted to their emotion of zeal that they refused to yield it to the knowledge given by their God. They heard the message but their unsubmitted emotions pushed their God away. So, as we read this passage, we need to look into our hearts. Are we submitting our emotions to scripture and to God? Are we letting God speak into our fear of shame, our passion, our zeal? And when he speaks, do we let him win or do we hold on to our emotions and expect God to yield to them? Emotions are incredibly powerful. They can drive the greatest evils and the greatest good. So learn to yield your emotions to God. Let him meet you in your emotions and to re-shape them with his words. That is what Paul has done. That is part of what it means to be richly blessed by God.

Question for reflection

What are your strongest emotions? How might God want to use them for his glory?

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