But Isaiah is very bold and says:
” I was found by those who did not seek Me;
I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”
But to Israel he says:
” All day long I have stretched out My hands
To a disobedient and contrary people.”
Rom 10:20-21
In our text above, the apostle reminds us of the plan of God to preach the gospel to the Gentile nations as revealed by the prophet Isaiah. The truth declared in the prophet’s statement is one that should humble us before our merciful God. We weren’t looking for Him; He manifested Himself to us! His next statement to the nation of Israel further reveals the heart of all mankind toward his Maker. Even with outstretched arms, God was rejected by a people to whom He had shown great mercy. The thought is reminiscent of one we’ve previously considered in Rom 3:11 and which is a recurring theme in the letter to the Romans: “There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.”
If God had left us to ourselves, everyone of us would have perished! In Ez 16:1-7, the Lord compares Israel to an abandoned baby, but I hope we don’t fail to see the further picture of every soul that the Lord delivers. We were all helpless before the Lord found us. We were abandoned and left to die, completely unable to save ourselves. We couldn’t seek God! We didn’t even know how to seek much less Who to seek! The thing that made the difference in our lives was that God found us! Listen to v. 6-7: “And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yes, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ I made you thrive…” God made us thrive, Christian! Praise His merciful name!
Never forget the pit that God dug you out of. (Is 51:1) Don’t forget what you were before the Lord got a hold of you! The only way you can humble yourself and minister to others in the way that the Lord requires is if you see yourself as being no better than every person you encounter. You can love your neighbor as yourself if you remember from where you came. You can bless those who curse you if you recall that you cursed God (if not with your lips, then at least with your life) before He saved you. The only way you can love the Lord to the degree that He deserves is if you realize just how bad you were when He set His love upon you and forgave you! (Lk 7:47) We were helplessly dead in trespasses and sins, walking according to the course of this world, and giving ourselves fully to the lusts of our flesh according to Eph 2:1-3. We weren’t looking for Him, so what hope do we have by the time we get to v. 4. None, of ourselves! I sure am glad that v. 4 begins with the glorious words, “But God”! God did what we could not! Thank you Lord Jesus!!!
Jamie