Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

“… if you continue in his kindness.” This one statement says it all. God’s kindness is our Battle Mindset on the Front Lines! Salvation is about a commitment to persevere in Jesus and seek after his kind ways. I was talking with my children last night about how God’s grace covers us sinners, saved by grace. And then I fell back into a sin area. I repented and now I am writing this devotional. I think the hardest part for me to grasp and continue grasping in life is that I don’t have to solve all of life’s problems on my own. I know this in my mind and heart most of the time, but then a new or different test comes up and I struggle and wrestle with how to deal with it. At times I do well. Sometimes I fall. But I have committed to keep getting up and working through, with honesty, the sin issues that are causing me to fall. Stress is found in different sources for each of us. Some stress about work, others — how they look, others — friends, others — money, etc. We have different fears that impact each of us. But healing and relief is found in the same place for everyone — AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST! And so, I will continue to seek his grace as I serve.

I think Paul’s main point here is that whether Jew or Gentile, we are all “in process”. We need to uplift, carry loads, and give grace to each other; along with, at times, challenging each other to get back up, correct our thinking, and keep going. We are in the Lord’s army. It’s like God is saying: “Look to your left, your right, your rear, and your front, Soldier. He has surrounded you with spiritual warriors who are there to support you.” It does not matter their race, sex, family background or wealth in battle. It just matters that they are there, willing to fight alongside me and that they will be faithful. In contrast, this world tries to isolate, tear us down, and beat us up as we play the comparison game. Who would want to go back to that type of life? Does a soldier in war focus on the failures of those around them?

Let us live as sold out and committed brothers and sisters, fighting alongside each other with kindness and love in the battle of the ages — THE BATTLE FOR THE SOULS OF MEN!
Lord, I am just a broken man, and I blow it some days. But you love me still. Thank you! And you have given me an inheritance among the Saints, and I get to march with them into victory, with our Lord Jesus Christ leading the way! Let’s Go, Let’s Take It — All For His Glory!