God is God

Scripture Read: Romans 9:14-24 What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! 15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” 18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. 19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” 20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? 21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? 22 What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23 And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles

 

Application:  Father – this passage causes all of us such a problem – not in understanding – though that is hard also – but we find that we are concerned about our spirit and attitude toward You. If the meaning is that You designed certain ones to go to hell – no chance or choice – we struggle with that – which is denying Your right to be God. If that is what God wants – who has any right to say anything? Many of us would consider our own child – what if it were my son– what if he was not chosen? Is that fair? Why even bother to teach him Your word? Again we can fight this battle forever – but more important to all of us is that we struggle with what we would call resentment against You if this is the way it is. How can someone that never had a choice be held accountable? Lord now I am the pot challenging the Potter. I really need more time with You. Help me to make it Lord – I do not want to think higher of myself than I ought – this also I believe allows me to be more complacent about sin in my life. Lord I desire to see You Holy – I have no rights to question You – yet I want You to know what I am struggling within my spirit. I am sorry Lord for my weaknesses – deliver me from my flesh and fill me with Your presence!