Ours is a Jewish Faith...

Romans 9:1-5

I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit,
that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.
For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,
who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the gving of the Law and the temple service and the promises,
whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Romans 11:17-24

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,
do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.
You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;
for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.
Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

---

I know the average reader's tendencies because I know myself... did you just skim the above passages? If you did, READ them! I have struggled with the same attitude plenty of times, "Oh that isn't anything new, that's the Bible, I've read that passage before, I know what it says, I don't have time to read passages I've read millions of times before..." I remember a great quote from a speaker in TMC chapel whose name I've long since forgotten: "The only time I'm saying something 100% correct is when I'm reading the Word of God." The same goes (especially) for me and this blog. My words are nothing. His words are everything!

I am a wild olive branch, grafted into Israel by the grace of God and nothing else. And yet my heart attitude is far from the humility that God desires. I find myself this last week to be more of a gawking tourist than a child of God, longing for the salvation of His chosen people. Church on Shabbat (Sabbath) was at the Jerusalem Assembly, a vibrant but small (200-300) fellowship of believers in comparision to the 3000 the first day of the history of the church in the very same city two millenia ago (Acts 2). Where is my concern for the lost Jews in this nation? I once again wrestle with the delicate relationship of ministry and the training for it. Lord, give me patience.