Series: Family Privilege
Message: Rejection
Preacher: Jessyka Albert
Reflection: Jessyka Albert
Live Wonder: Zan Long
Live Adventure: Zan Long
Live Purpose: Kyle Smith
Editor: Becky De Oliveira
Refresh: Begin with prayer. Ask for the Holy Spirit to open your heart to new understanding and for God’s character to be revealed.
Read: Romans 9:1-33 in the English Standard Version (ESV). Note 1–3 insights or questions.
Reflect: Paul is rather famous for asking a question and then answering it right away. Example A: Our Words to Remember this week: “Is God unjust? Certainly not!” I believe Paul has worked out in his own heart and mind a lot of dialogue between that question and the answer. I encourage you right now to jump straight to the “Recalibrate” section and work through the question before you continue reading.
I remember struggling with this question myself many times in my life. Thinking back to Job’s story in the Bible, I can’t imagine going through all those losses, pains, and tragedies and still not understanding why. I can’t imagine having no comfort or advice from my friends or family with the exception of, “Just curse God and die already.” Job must have been pretty miserable if even those who loved him most thought he would be better off dead. Job didn’t deserve any of the horrible things that were thrown at him.
In the verse right before our Words to Remember this week, Paul starts breaking down this idea of Jacob being the chosen one and Esau getting the short end of the stick. Paul quotes Scripture saying, “As it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Talk about unfair right? Maybe if you were Jacob you would feel OK about that verse, but what about Esau? Now go back to that question, “Is God unjust?” When you think about it from the perspective of an Esau or a Job, you might have a harder time working out the answer.
When God finally speaks in the book of Job, He doesn’t answer the question of why all these things happened in the way that we would probably like. Instead, God asks questions right back. In the book of Job, Chapter 38, God says:
“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.’” (Verses 1-4)
God continues to challenge Job to realize that there is much more than this moment he has found himself in. That God is just because God knows, because He understands, because He sees all of the bigger picture. Job doesn’t see the bigger picture. When I ask myself the question, “Is God unjust?” I have to echo Paul by saying, “Certainly not!” There is so much that I do not understand. I trust that God is just because His justice sees and knows all.
Recalibrate: Is God unjust? Explain your reasoning.
Respond: Where have you felt injustice in your life? Work it out with God through prayer today. Set some time aside to have that tough conversation with God like Job had.
Research: Read Job 38-40.
Remember: “Is God unjust? Certainly not!” (Romans 9:14, KNT).
Jessyka Albert has been associate pastor at Boulder Adventist Church since 2016. She grew up in Washington State, graduated from Union College, and is engaged to Kiefer Dooley, Rocky Mountain Conference associate youth director. Pastor Jessyka has a particular passion for children and youth, and is instrumental in creating amazing faith experiences for these groups.
Looking at your little one, try to guess what it is that they would like to play with. Hide their toys behind your back and show each toy one at a time. When it’s their favorite toy’s turn, watch for their response and see if it is different from the others. Knowing what we love and expressing our love is such a beautiful thing. When Jesus is our favorite, our response to Him is evident in everything we do.
Try to read your friend’s mind. Ask them to think of something and then try your best to figure out what it is. God knows what is going on in your mind and your heart. You cannot trick God or pretend that everything is OK when He can see you from the inside out. The best thing is that God looks at us with love, searching our hearts and minds to see if we love Him too.
Do you know that your skills and abilities are actually privileges from God? That's right! Your ability to shoot a 3-pointer on the basketball court, your ability to sing, your eye for graphic design or photography, all of that comes from God. That means that when God created you, He placed certain skills within you. Certain abilities that He knew would be useful for Kingdom work and would make you who you are. But, if we are being honest, it is really easy to look at other people’s skills and get jealous. When I was in middle school, I constantly found myself comparing my abilities to those of others. Do you know what I was really doing? Taking advantage of the privileges God gave me. I may not have been a basketball player or a soccer player, but I could draw! I may have not had the best math skills (I still don’t!) but I could write research papers like they were nothing (I still can!). Point is, you are human. God made you just the way you are. Whatever your skills and abilities are, do not take them for granted. They are privileges from God! What are some abilities you have that you take for granted? Do you struggle to know what you are good at? How can you stop taking for granted the abilities God gave you?