God Morning! August 8 / Leftovers
God Morning! August 8
Leftovers
Romans 9:16-33
16 So then [God’s gift] is not a question of human will and
human effort, but of God’s mercy. [It depends not on one’s own willingness nor
on his strenuous exertion as in running a race, but on God’s having mercy on
him.]
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, I have raised you up
for this very purpose of displaying My power in [dealing with] you, so that My
name may be proclaimed the whole world over.
18 So then He has mercy on whomever He wills (chooses) and
He hardens (makes stubborn and unyielding the heart of) whomever He wills.
So I may feel that I have done more good deeds than most. I may
live my whole life selflessly doing good for others. The thing is, only God
knows my heart. I may seem selfless, but in reality I may be doing the good
deeds for the praise of others. Or, I may somehow think that I can work my way
into heaven. Maybe I am thinking that God will notice and reward me
accordingly.
This is what is so cool about God. He doesn’t reward us according
to how we seem. He rewards us according to the condition of our heart. And
omgoodness, cleaning out the heart is a constant, never ending task.
19 You will say to me, Why then does He still find fault and blame us [for sinning]? For who can resist and withstand His will?
20 But who are you, a mere man, to criticize and contradict and answer back to God? Will what is formed say to him that
formed it, Why have you made me thus?
21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of
the same mass (lump) one vessel for beauty and distinction and honorable use, and another for menial or ignoble and dishonorable
use?
Many times I have asked why God made me like I am. Scatterbrained
and forgetful. Ditzy. Absentminded. You may roll your eyes and think that I am
annoying. But try being me! That’s even worse!
22 What if God, although fully intending to show [the
awfulness of] His wrath and to make known His power and authority, has tolerated with much patience the vessels
(objects) of [His] anger which are ripe for destruction?
Thank God that He tolerates me with much patience. I would have
cast myself aside a long time ago.
23 And [what if] He thus purposes to make known and show the wealth of His glory in [dealing with] the
vessels (objects) of His mercy which He has prepared beforehand for glory,
24 Even including ourselves whom He has called, not only
from among the Jews but also from among the Gentiles (heathen)?
25 Just as He says in Hosea, Those who were not My people I
will call My people, and her who was not beloved [I will call] My beloved.
26 And it shall be that in the very place where it was said
to them, You are not My people, they shall be called sons of the living God.
27 And Isaiah calls out (solemnly cries aloud) over Israel:
Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, only the
remnant (a small part of them) will be saved [from perdition, condemnation,
judgment]!
28 For the Lord will execute His sentence upon the earth
[He will conclude and close His account with men completely and without delay],
rigorously cutting it short in His justice.
I must never forget that God is choosing a remnant to
save from the destruction of the world.
noun rem·nant \ˈrem-nənt\
: the part of something that
is left when the other parts are gone
: a small piece of cloth that
is left after the rest of the cloth has been sold
Full Definition of REMNANT
1
a : a usually
small part, member, or trace remaining
b : a small
surviving group —often used in plural
2
: an unsold or unused
end of piece good
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