Irrevocable

My Journal - Agatha Nolen

Akko, Israel, Nov 2011

One of my daily meditations this week was Romans 11:29- “for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”

Most commentaries remark that this short verse contains God’s promises to us that through His covenants He will never forsake us. His gifts to us are those of pardon, peace, joy, sanctification, and eternal life. The same commentators remark that the “calling of God” denotes how God extends an invitation to come and partake of his favors whether by personal revelation to the patriarchs, by the promises of the Gospel or by the influences of His Spirit. The “callings” imply a pledge that once he bestows this favor, he will not repent, or turn from it.

It is comforting during this Holy Week where we replay the Passion, death and resurrection of Christ to know that God’s promises to us are forever and that we are His beloved children, forever.

But, when I first read this short verse, I had not explored more context and instead I read it as more than just God’s promise to me.

I read it as my promise back to God; that I have a responsibility to use the specific spiritual gifts that God has given me and that He has called me to use them to His glory, not to put them on a shelf, or further, not to return them to God unused.

Whether I choose to use my spiritual gifts is still a choice for me to make, but I don’t have an option to renounce them and return them to God unused. They will remain in me whether I use them or not.

I pray that as we celebrate Christ’s resurrection on this Easter morning, we have another chance to recognize the spiritual gifts that God has bestowed upon us and that we live up to our calling, all for the glory of God.

Blessings, my friend,
Agatha