Observation: Paul is trying to make sense of how not everyone has listened to and believed his message about Jesus. In particular, he is grappling with the issue that most of his fellow Jews, who believe in the same God and are still God's chosen people, do not accept his conclusion that Jesus is the fulfilment of the covenant. But whoever listens or doesn't listen, Paul has to share the message, because faith comes from hearing--yet "not all have obeyed the good news."
Application: It's strange to me, that turn of phrase, "obeyed the good news." My theological definition of good news is a message about something God does. We have no part in it. You obey the law, not the Gospel...right?
One of a handful of things I learned in Hebrew class was that the word for "listen/obey/react" is one word. "Shema Israel", "Hear/REACT O Israel, the Lord is God, the Lord alone." If you don't react in some way, you're not listening. I'm sure this week as parents get their kids ready for school, they can relate. It's pretty common even with married couples (I'm guilty of this too). If you don't respond, or take action, you didn't hear.
So "hearing" good news is being affected by it, such that you DO something about it. Just as hearing the witness of our brothers and sisters who are suffering means changing our behavior, or at least examining it, to see if we can lessen that suffering. If we don't change, we didn't hear.
Prayer: God, open my ears to the Good News of your Son, who is reconciling the world to you. And open my hands and feet to react to it, and make it more real for anyone who is hurting.
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