Inclusion
The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. ~ Jeremiah 31:31 (CEB)
He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles. ~ Romans 9:23-24 (NLT)
Glorious Lord, thank you for including me in your covenant -- your agreement to bless your people. Sometimes I want your covenant people to be a small cozy group. It would be easier that way. And I'm more comfortable if you mostly include people who are like me. But that is narrow thinking. The reason I'm included is that you are welcoming of many kinds of people -- from many tribes, clans, families, nations, and islands. Re-wire my heart so that in practice (not just in theory) I become as inclusive as you are. Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
