Jewish at our root.

SCRIPTURE:  This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 3:6 NIV

THOUGHT: A friend who is an incredibly smart scientist recently said to me of Christians, “we’re all Jews.” It took me back a moment because I don’t think of myself that way, but perhaps it bears some reflection. We haven’t changed our ethnicity, of course, but we have changed our citizenship. We’ve been adopted (Romans 8:15), been grafted in to the original olive tree, drawing nourishment from its root (Romans 11), and are considered God’s children and heirs (Romans 8:17 and today’s verse). We are people of the promise made to Abraham (Galatians 3:29). We are God’s people (Acts 26:18).

As Paul told the Ephesians, it is all a little mysterious, but in the mystery, let’s not forget that it was God’s plan all along for every soul he created to know and love him. “A true Jew is one whose heart is right with God,” Paul tells the Romans (2:29 NLT).

The Jews were chosen for a reason: to known God intimately and thus be able to represent him honestly to the rest of the world. Like a giant evangelistic crusade, they were to make the glories and mercies of God known to everyone else. Now, it’s one more way “we’re all Jews.” We who have been adopted as sons and daughters, grafted in, made heirs, share in the promise of Christ, and are called according to God’s purposes – we are even more responsible than Israel to make God’s glories and mercies in Christ known to the world until the day they too receive the good news.

By God’s grace, may we fulfill the responsibility and great privilege of representing our Jewish root, Jesus.

PRAYER: Oh God, we are nourished from the root of your olive tree; make our branches wide and strong and fruitful.