“GOD, WHO HAS MERCY!”

 Romans 9:6-16                         (ESV)

“[6] But it is not as though the WORD OF GOD has failed. For NOT ALL WHO ARE DESCENDED from Israel belong to Israel, [7] and NOT ALL are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” [8] This means that it is NOT THE CHILDREN OF THE FLESH who are the children of GOD, but the children of THE PROMISE are counted as offspring. [9] For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” [10] And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, [11] though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that GOD’s PURPOSE OF ELECTION might continue, not because of works but because of HIM WHO calls—[12] she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” [13] As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

[14] What shall we say then? Is there injustice on GOD’s part? By no means! [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 depends NOT on human will or exertion, but on “GOD, WHO HAS MERCY!”.”

Why did ALMIGHTY GOD “choose” me, a BROKEN man who has failed at more than he has ever accomplished?  For example, I would argue with the Apostle Paul who wrote in 1 Timothy 1:15 (KJV) “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that CHRIST JESUS came into the world to save sinners; OF WHOM I AM CHIEF.”  The Apostle Paul knew his sins better than anyone else, but I know mine just as well!!!

The FACT that GOD has CHOSEN some to be used for HIS GLORY doesn’t always indicate that the person will enjoy the process of the journey!  The Apostle Paul was perhaps one of the most “famous” Believers in THE CHRIST, yet he spent a tremendous amount of time IMPRISONED for his Belief, and was ultimately beheaded by the Romans in around 62 and 67 AD.  That doesn’t seem to be very “glorious” to me??  But he KNEW WHO was in control and Glorifying JESUS was his only reason for existence!

We typically want to hear about others successes and overlook their failures.  The WORD OF GOD explicitly informs us that “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, and I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”  We can’t “judge” someone’s life for GOD, nor can we determine their punishment.  

Rusty Goodman wrote a song entitled “Who am I” in the early 1960’s.   The story of the lyrics of this song SPEAK to me very plainly and quickly!  “WHO am I that a KING would bleed and die for“?  The CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES submitted HIMSELF to total humiliation just because HE LOVED ME!!  “GOD, WHO HAS MERCY” performed this for me knowing that my obedience would never qualify me for HIS REWARD!!!