Jesus is

Romans 11: 17-18

“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.”

I am continually awed, humbled, and amazed each time God reveals to me the similarities between earthly adoption and heavenly salvation. In my daily Bible study I am now in Romans chapter 11 and the past week I have been studying the above mentioned verses. To give a little context, Paul is speaking to the gentiles (the wild olive shoot) about their own salvation (being grafted into the olive tree, which represents the Jews), but reminding them not to be arrogant because their salvation is from Jesus (the root), not themselves.

In the same way that I have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, elected by Him to be spiritually grafted in to His spiritual family as one of His chosen people, so our great God and King, Jesus the Christ and our Messiah, has selected our daughter in China to be grafted in to our family as one of us. How amazing is our Holy and Righteous God! Just as we gentiles have no right to brag over our Jewish brothers about what God has revealed to us, I have no right to brag about adopting! Just as being a gentile Christian doesn’t make me better than a Jewish brother, adopting doesn’t make me better than anyone else or more “spiritual” (whatever that means)! EVERYTHING IS FROM THE ROOT! FROM CHRIST! FROM THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL! He does it! He owns it! He causes it! Jesus is the reason! Jesus is the answer! Jesus is the catalyst! Jesus is the motivation! Jesus is the driving force! JESUS SIMPLY IS!

Jesus . . . simply . . . is.

So, what now? I am just a guy trying to live my life through the faith Jesus has given me along the path He has set forth. Do I have the ability to lead my family well? No, but Jesus does. Do I have the strength to survive and help my family through whatever trials may come our way? No, but Jesus does. Jesus is the root; the source. Once Jesus hit my heart with that truth and awakened my soul to show me just a portion of who He is, I had to act. It is my joy to follow and obey. It is His glory that is revealed. Everything, all of this, is about Jesus and for His glory.

Romans 11:36

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

To quote the great philosopher and eloquent orator herself, my precious little girl (and soon to be big-sister) Kate, “boo-yah daddy, boo-yah.”

In Christ,

-Kris