Irrevocable Gifts – Romans 11

A text – Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32

11:1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
11:2a God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.
11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
11:30 Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience,
11:31 so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy.
11:32 For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.

A reflection:

I want to settle on just one verse of this short passage of Romans 11. Verse 29: For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.

Irrevocable means unable to be changed, reversed, recalled, annulled, or canceled. And Paul uses this word to refer to God’s gifts and callings of God’s people. No matter what you might do, God, who has promised you these gifts and this calling, will not break God’s promise.

God doesn’t give things away in whimsy. God makes irrevocable promises. We do our best to promise that well, that completely. But God succeeds. This is a God you can trust. Paul wants the Christians in Rome to know that, although God has offered Jesus and salvation to the entire world, God has not turned away from the children of Israel and will always give them gifts and callings. This fact is important. It reveals the faithful character of God. And it is especially important when we think of the recent rise in anti-Semitism – why would you treat badly the people God has chosen as God’s own people and promised to continue to bless? We and they are all God’s beloved children.

Have you ever had a calling from God? Have you known God intended you to do something and gave you the gifts to do it? Then know also that that calling and those gifts are irrevocable. They are yours forever to get done the thing God wants you to do. You have an irrevocable purpose.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you wanting us to work in your kingdom and for giving us an irrevocable calling and gifts. Help us to bravely do the thing we have been gifted for, knowing we have your eternal support.  Amen.