Doesn't Make Sense

You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branch back into the tree where they belong. ~Romans 11:24

As I was reading the word this morning during my devotional time, this verse not only stood out but it really spoke to me. A little backstory to this is that the Apostle Paul is telling the Romans how we as Gentiles have the blessing to be a part of God’s special tree upon accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and through Him we find salvation. However, we must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off (the Jews, God’s chosen people who have rejected Jesus as the Messiah) because we are merely branches, not the root.

Ok, so we understand the concept of the tree, right? There are two trees; His cultivated tree (Chosen people) and a wild olive tree (Gentiles). As Gentiles; non-Jews, we have been grafted (inserted) into God’s tree while some of the original branches have been cut off, due to their lack of faith. What a privileged you and I have been granted! However, what is mind blowing- well, not really because God is God and He is Omnipotent and He does as He pleases, but what is so amazing about our God is what this text says..

“…So if God was willing (His choice) to do something contrary to nature (against the norm)…” Wow! This means that there is no telling how He will do things in our lives. We are not to place God inside of a box because He cannot operate in a “fixed” environment. We are not to expect Him to intervene or resolve something our way. Maybe God wants to glorify Himself in your situation differently than before. Expect the unexpected, He will act, respond, put together, take apart, or bless you on His terms, not yours. It may be exactly the way that you’ve envisioned it and AMEN! However, chances are there will be some slight changes, be open to the possibilities of your blessing coming in an unconventional manner. If you are open, you will give Him the freedom to move and operate how He pleases. There are no rules or guidelines that the Lord of Lords and Creator of all things should follow. Who are we to demand or expect God to do things a certain way? Exactly, we are no one to question His doings. Sometimes things will simply not make sense; does it mean God doesn’t know what He’s doing? Of course not, He is all knowing.

Going back to this verse, isn’t it crazy to think that there are two trees and God grabs one branch from one tree and grafts it, or inserts it into another tree? The question is: Will it belong? Will it stick together? Will it grow? Well, you and I are here. By His grace and love we are here and if you’ve confessed Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are in the family. It didn’t look, seem or feel right, and from an agricultural/landscaping point of view, it still doesn’t make sense yet that’s what God decided to do. And aren’t we happy He did, because of it; we too have been granted the gift of salvation and eternal life.

Sometimes it takes something that doesn’t make sense to fulfill the purpose. Today I encourage you to let God work in your life the way He wants to. Surrender your all (especially your mind and intellect, they always try to reason and make sense out of things) and allow Him total access to do as He pleases, to remove and place as He wishes. You may not get it but don’t hinder His work or your progress. It doesn't have to make sense to you, as long as it makes sense to Him. He’s a craftsman. Let Him create a new thing in you today!

Be Encouraged, Be Blessed!
Landy Perez-Feliciano ♥