“Rejoice in the Lord, always.” This is what Paul would say, the man who says how great his sorrow is and how he has unceasing anguish in his heart. What’s he heartbroken over? The Jews’ rejection of Jesus. When he says he wishes he could be cut off from Christ, I’m assuming he means he would be willing to take their place if that could bring them into Christ.

We know that is the heart of God because Jesus did take our place so that we could enter into union with Christ.

The Jews are extra tragic in their rejection of Jesus. God gave them the law, the worship, the promises, the Christ from their own bloodline.

But then Paul points out it is the people born of God in the Spirit who are of Israel and of Abraham. We are part of Israel, God’s chosen children. It’s the children of the promise, not of the flesh, that are God’s children.

God chose His children. He chose Abraham. He chose Isaac. He chooses the lesser, the weak things. He chose the younger son, not the one going to become the mighty hunter.

When we read, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,” read it in the positive. It’s not I’m going to destroy whomever I want to destroy. It’s I get to have mercy whenever l choose to have mercy because I am love and My delight is to show mercy.

No one deserves to be shown mercy. It’s one of the great mysteries of God that He shows any mercy.

There is no striving on our part to get salvation. There’s nothing we can do but humble ourselves and throw ourselves on the great mercy of God. It’s great, expansive, enduring! He’s got mercy to cover you.

And if you remain proud and won’t humble yourself, mercy is withheld, but there is great anguish in God’s heart.