Cast In

Whenever the P.E. Teacher would line us up against the wall I would cringe.

I knew what was coming.

She would select two students apart from the group to choose teams.

Filled with dread, my esteem would plummet to the very depths.

“Pick me, pick me,” my brain begged, as a sick knot in the pit of my stomach feared I wouldn’t.

Exclusion – how it wounds!

I suffered more heartache being “left-out” on the play ground that I did being rejected by any boy.  Or when that middle school group of “populars” labeled me “uncool.”

Yes, people tend to be partial—often in a cruel way.

But God . . .

God does not play favorites.

And He made a promise of inclusion for those among the nation of God.

Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the LORD say, 
   “The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.” 

For this is what the LORD says:

to them I will give within my temple and its walls 
   a memorial and a name 
   better than sons and daughters; 
I will give them an everlasting name 
   that will not be cut off. 
And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD 
   to serve him, 
to love the name of the LORD, 
   and to worship him, 
all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it 
   and who hold fast to my covenant— 
these I will bring to my holy mountain 
   and give them joy in my house of prayer. 
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices 
   will be accepted on my altar; 
for my house will be called 
   a house of prayer for all nations.” 
The Sovereign LORD declares— 
   he who gathers the exiles of Israel: 
“I will gather still others to them 
   besides those already gathered.”

[Is 56:3a, 4a, 5-8]

And a promise of the Promised Savior was that He would extend justice and righteousness to all.

And He does.

And He will judge just as impartially . . . it has been promised.

“As the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” [Rm 10:11-13]

God offers salvation through His Son to all peoples of the earth. The true children of God that inherit all of His promises are those that embrace and honor His covenant and worship Him in grace and truth.

If we are all foreigners because of our other-worldly citizenship, then our only ethnicity is of the heavenly kind, right?

And the new nation of God, the Church of Christ—is where He calls there be no outcast…socially, racially, or economically. But it all comes down to the individuals within the Body to love as He loves and reflect the Father’s attribute of impartiality.

That there be no outcast is a sort of perpetual sharing promise. It’s a promise He gave . . . that I can give . . . and we, the Church can give . . . and others can give.

Give us eyes like Yours that see no outcast. And a heart like Yours to love like You, Father.