Do You See the BIG PICTURE or the Little Picture?

Read Romans 11:1-15
Theme: The Plan of God for Israel
Title in NIV: A remnant of Israel remains faithful.

I think it is easier to think about the 'here-n-now' and forget to look at the big picture. After all, the 'here-n-now' is here in front of us and now in the present. Thinking of any other 'time' takes a conscious effort. It is hard to make that effort. As Christians we need to train our brain to always think ahead, spiritually, instead of thinking in the present, the 'here-n-now'. For example, the 'here-n-now' thinker says, "why me?", "It's not fair", "Why would God do this to me?". A spiritual, think ahead, thinker thinks, "God has a plan for this in my life", "I am going to use this trial to help others", "God must have something to teach me since he allowed it in my life".

I'll have to go back and read, but I don't think Noah questioned God about the flood that killed...well, everyone. I don't recall Moses asking 'why God?' when all the plagues were happening. They were spiritual thinkers. They knew God had a bigger plan. Jonah questioned God. Remember what happened to him.

Romans chapter 11 explains how the people have rejected God, killed God's prophets and torn down God's alters. God also hardened hearts, gave them blind eyes and deaf ears toward the coming Savior. Why? The 'big picture'. God had a plan bigger than what they could understand. God used their unbelief so, "salvation [could] come to the Gentiles..." (11:11). Paul explains that "their transgression means riches for the world and their loss means riches for the Gentiles" (11:12). Vs. 11 however, is comforting and says that they did not stumble beyond recovery. They/we have a choice.

Paul is a Jew and he knows the big picture of God and how He planned to incorporate/include the Gentiles. Paul says he hopes to arouse his own people to envy what the Gentiles have received to save some of his own people. Vs. 15 says, "For this rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will this acceptance be but life from the dead?"

Let us be spiritual thinkers and see the big picture of God or at the very least know it is there by faith. God will not waste any situation. He used their transgressions to recover the Gentiles (you and me). Thank the Lord for his 'big picture'.