And her who was not beloved

Well, I don’t know what anyone else is doing on this particular evening, but I am home alone preparing a bible study on Romans 9. And to make myself totally pathetic, like something out of a Bridget Jones movie, I ate soup and canned tuna for dinner (that was just a coincidence – I can’t remember the last time I ate canned tuna for dinner and that is not standard fare – I just have to work on this study, and clean up a little too as bible study is here tomorrow also, and didn’t feel like fussing).

I wasn’t going to mention Valentine’s Day in a post, because what have I got to say, and I couldn’t be bothered dealing with it in some appropriate manner, to be quite frank. But I am finding Romans 9 quite strangely comforting on this particular evening all the same. Take this quotation from Hosea (in Romans 9:25-26), about God calling the Gentiles into salvation, for one:

Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people’,

and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved’.

And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people’,

there they will be called ‘sons of the living God’.

And that is quite a gift to be reminded of on Valentine's Day.

P.S. I went back to the physio yesterday afternoon. I’ve been taking it easy but my back has been quite fine for the last few days, just niggling a little around my left hip. So I asked how long it might be before I could go jogging, and she’s told me to give it at least another week, after commenting “is jogging what you really like to do is it?”. She told me I could go power-walking. Power-walking is a bit underwhelming as exercise when you are used to running, but I am starting to feel like a blob so I shall do it. Today I walked all the way to work and home again (we just won't talk about this morning's walk - it was all a bit sorer than it has been after being pulled around yesterday - what is it with Tuesdays? - but coming home was fine) and I think I am on the mend. Hooray!