Romans 9:19-29
Scripture: Romans 9:19-29 (ESV) “You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? As indeed he says in Hosea, “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.’” Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved; for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.”
Devotion:
My oldest son has a habit that is both delightful and infuriating at times. When you explain something to him which he doesn’t understand, he scrunches up his face and with an uneven smile will look you in the eye and say “Huh? I don’t get it”, and will then run off and go play. This is a delightful habit when the topic I tried to explain is too complex for him to grasp, reminding me that he is just a kid. It is infuriating when you are asking him do a household chore which then doesn’t get done!
There are some concepts in scripture that invite us to wrestle with them either until we understand them, or we finally submit and say “Huh? I don’t get it” and then go and play trusting that God has got it sorted whether we understand it or not. The tension between divine sovereignty and human responsibility is such a concept and in Romans 9:19-29 Paul pushes us right into the middle of that tension by anticipating the question: If God controls everything, how can He blame us for our actions?
Paul responds simply: who are we to question our Creator’s purposes?
Even though this response is simple, doesn’t mean it isn’t profound.
God is the potter, and we are the clay. As the potter, God has the freedom to shape His creation according to His will. Sometimes he will create an beautiful vase that is fit for a king’s court. Sometimes he will make a chamber pot. The vase does not get to question why the potter made a pot.
This passage confronts us with the fact that we are not God. We don’t and can’t think like God. As created beings, we bear the image of the Creator, but that doesn’t mean we have the full understanding of the Creator. This passage again challenges us to trust in God’s goodness and wisdom, even when we don’t understand. Perhaps especially if we don’t understand.
So can you say: “Huh? I don’t get it” and then go and play trusting that God’s got it, even if you don’t understand it?
Prayer:
The content below was originally paywalled.
Sovereign Lord, we acknowledge Your right to shape Your creation according to Your will. Help us to trust in Your wisdom and goodness, even when we cannot see the full picture. Thank You for the mercy You have shown us, calling us to be Your people through faith in Christ. Teach us to live as vessels of Your mercy, extending Your love and grace to others. Amen.
Spiritual Challenge for the Day: Reflect on the ways you’ve seen God’s mercy in your life, even in situations that didn’t make sense at the time. Commit to trusting God’s sovereignty and goodness more deeply, especially in circumstances beyond your understanding. Look for opportunities to share the story of God’s mercy in your life with someone today, encouraging them with the truth that we are all vessels of His mercy, shaped by His sovereign hand for His glory.