1 Chronicles 17-20: God's People

And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? You made your people Israel your very own forever, and you, O LORD, have become their God.  - 1 Chronicles 17:21-22 NIV

We have just returned from Israel and I am more fully aware than ever before that Israel is not just a country, a physical place in the Middle East, but Israel is a people, God's people.  The covenant making God made a commitment to Abraham and to Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, that he would be their God.  Period.  They may have gone after other gods, but that never changed the covenant.  Israel may have paid the price for straying, but they were never abandoned.  As the Apostle Paul told the Romans:   I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
   “The deliverer will come from Zion;
   he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.  - Romans 11:25-26 NIV

How fortunate we are that God made a way for us to be grafted into the root of Israel.  The root that will be delivered after the full number of the Gentiles has come in.  Many of us do not understand the love that God has for Israel, chosen to be his very own forever.   But then again, I don't understand why he chose me either.

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
   How unsearchable his judgments,
   and his paths beyond tracing out!
“Who has known the mind of the Lord?
   Or who has been his counselor?”
“Who has ever given to God,
   that God should repay him?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
   To him be the glory forever! Amen. - Rom. 11:33-36 NIV

1 Chronicles 17-20:  Do What You Will