Is there anyone left?

Date: Monday, February 10

Scripture: Romans 11:1-10

Verse: God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” (Romans 11:2-3)

In an article in Relevant Magazine titled, “The Most Damaging Attitude in Our Churches: Why subtle cynicism doesn’t look like Jesus,” Cara Joyner shares several examples of how cynicism creeps into our faith-thinking:

“Worship was great this morning! I can’t believe all those people were just standing there and not raising their hands. Some people just don’t take worship as seriously as I do.”

“Worship was great this morning! I was trying to be still and reflect, but the guy next me was moving so much and flinging his arms around. Some people just don’t take worship as seriously as I do.”

“The sermon was good. If he had just said this, it could have been better.” …

“The problem with the Church today is ___________.”

It is frighteningly amazing how quickly and easily we can fall into this line of thinking.

In today’s passage Paul is addressing Christians who are wondering if God has given up on the Jewish people and now favors them. The answer is quite simply, “No.” Now that may not be an issue for you or me today, but I wonder how often we do something similar. We look down our noses at those “other” Christians with their “wrong,” “simplistic,” or “overly-complicated” thinking or theology. We wonder how the people attending that other service can even encounter Jesus, or how a “true” Christian can think differently about a particular issue. We too can fall into the trap Elijah felt when he said, “I alone am left.”

We need to remember God is at work in the lives of many, not just us and the people like us.

Prayer: God, grant me the humility to see you at work in the lives of those who are different from me. Amen.

Action: Catch your cynicism – about church or anything else. Interrupt the cynical thought with love for the other.

Respond: What do you think of the article mentioned above? Answer by clicking “Leave a Comment” below.
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