"...You, who were once nothing more than a wild olive branch, God has grafted in -inserting you among the remaining branches as a joint partner to share in the wonderful richness of the cultivated olive stem." Romans 11:17(TPT)

"Grafted In" is our story. It's the story of who we are in Christ- brought into the family of God because He is good and receives our faith in the blood of Jesus as our adoption credentials. But "Grafted In" is also the story of who we are together. 

For years, Walter’s family and my family were friends, attending the same church. Our children were in youth group together. We occasionally sang together on the platform in worship. Our families attended services and celebrations together, not knowing how our lives would meet again in the years to come. In the spring of 2015, Walter’s first wife graduated to heaven. Later that year, we began dating, as I had been alone for several years, already. The next year, we were married. 

Here is the mystery of covenant. Though Walter and I had children and grandchildren of our own, our marriage bond brought a new set of family into existence. While some of the grown children had to overcome an awkwardness of grafting in new family members, the grandchildren were most accepting. Suddenly, I noticed there was no inhibition with them about asking to stay over or to raid the fridge. My biological grandchildren had no problem dog-piling Walter, as if he had always belonged to them. The marriage covenant made them belong to each other. If any of our family needed something, we acted as one to meet their needs, even caring for each other’s parents, in some cases, until they transitioned to heaven. 

Romans 11:17 says that we who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in to Abraham's tree, the family of God. We have become "a partaker with them of the root and richness of the olive tree." How wonderful to experience acceptance into the family of God, because of an unbreakable covenant based upon faith, alone, by grace, alone, in Christ, alone! Not only do we receive redemption through the blood of Christ, but an inheritance of His blessing- all because we are GRAFTED IN to covenant relationship with God! Who He is, as the root of the tree, flows through us, as the GRAFTED IN branches. We can expect God to save, deliver, heal, bless, and come to our aid, because we’re His! His will, in us, as it is in Heaven, includes wholeness, forgiveness, deliverance, healing, provision, peace, joy, and love. We can even dog-pile God to just enjoy His presence. What a good, loving Father we have!

Regina Hayes