Saturday, August 6, 2022

 

Saturday, August 6, 2022


Psalm 86


Hosea 11


Romans 8:28-39


Principal Festival: The Transfiguration of our Lord



For great is your abiding love toward me: and you have delivered my life from the lowest depths of the grave.



Paul places another warning sign on our path of discipleship today; another place we need to watch our step. He feels very strongly about this one; the first half of the reading is the instruction, while the second half is entirely devoted to ever-increasing grand statements showing how true it is. One commentary even labels this as a hymn: “the hymn of security”. If you have ever been to an Anglican funeral, you will recognise the end of Romans 8. This section is a big deal.


Yesterday we read about the danger of listening to the Accuser instead of the Advocate. But what about when the Accuser's words cut through, and we begin to doubt? Not the kind of doubt over whether God exists or not (we have already learned how that viewpoint is foolish and illogical; Romans 1), but the kind of doubt as to whether we will be let into the Kingdom of God. Fortunately, as Paul teaches, it is not up to us. Our opinions and feelings change with the seasons. But it was God who decided before the creation of the universe each individual He would call; and not only call, but glorify alongside Jesus. God doesn't change, and God especially doesn't change on who His children are. There is much more to say about how God-glorifying and calming for the soul this doctrine of predestination is, but there is one final observation about these readings we need to make.


“Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, 'Out of Egypt I have called my son.'” (Matt 2:15) Matthew is quoting Hosea 11:1. Read through this chapter again, spiritually. It is either the Lord Jesus speaking as Yahweh, or it is a prophecy about Jesus walking on earth during the time of the incarnation. Or, it is both. Any way you cut it, it only reinforces Paul's point: nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

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