The Remnant

¹ I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. ² God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: ³ “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? ⁴ And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” ⁵ So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. ⁶ And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. – Romans 11:1-6

Today, I sometimes feel for the people around the world as the world attacks and condemns Christianity as a religion and Christians as a people.  I read where crowds cheered in Jakarta, Indonesia as the local government used a backhoe to tear down the just completed walls of the Batak Protestant Church; in Ethiopia, the evangelical Heaven’s Light Church, was destroyed by police; in Mosul, Christian graves have been desecrated and entire cemeteries destroyed all to eradicate Christian symbols; and in Syria, every cross or symbol of Christianity is being removed, some of which have been in place for over two millennium.  Here, in the U.S., the church is being destroyed through the eradication of Christian morality and the ability to live by Christian standards.

“Did God reject His people?”  Our Scripture retells the lesson of Elijah and how God told him that He had reserved for Himself people who had not worshiped other idols.  Today, we must believe that God is setting apart those who will not worship money, themselves, others, or false religions.   I sincerely believe that God is turning up the heat on the world, forcing a decision among every person, believe in Him or don’t believe but there will be no sitting on the fence, no lukewarm sorta kinda believers.  Those who aren't sure will have to choose and those who do believe will be tested so their faith is iron.

The remnant have been chosen by God’s grace.  I pray that I can stay in God’s grace and that my faith is increased, developed, and settled to be non-negotiable so I can be in that remnant.  I pray that I can settle God as my Father and my Brother and my best friend.  I pray that I can have a purpose to help those who will believe and to help those who do believe as they are tested.