Devotion #4: Because I Said So
When you were growing up and your parents asked you to do something, what kind of response did you get when you asked, “Why?” If you were like me, the answer I would often get was, “Because I said so.” As frustrating as this response was to me, it was hard to argue with. Ultimately, parents bring us into this world, and they are our authority as children. We may not like what they are telling us to do, but without them, we would not exist. So, who are we to argue? Paul makes a similar argument in his epistle to the Romans. Without God, there would be no people, animals, earth, or creation. He is the Author of all life and all things on Earth. We can say we are in control of our own lives, but biblically, God is sovereign over absolutely everything. He has every right to do with His creation as He wishes.
Romans 9:20-23 says, “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.”
When examining a difficult text like this, we must remember that we exist for the glory of God. In our salvation, sanctification, and glorification, God is glorified. As the world looks at us as Christians, we are viewed as different and set apart from non-believers. We are in the world but not of the world. Paul here describes people as vessels made by God. Our value and our purpose are defined by what our vessels contain. Some people God chooses to fill with mercy and give the gift of salvation. Other people, He allows to chase after their fleshly desires. Although God is not the author of evil, He does ordain evil. He works through evil and wicked men to bring about His purposes and desires.
As we dwell on this challenging passage, we must thank God for being willing to fill us with His immeasurable mercy. It is hard for us to comprehend how God works. However, what we do know is that God is willing to make a way for sinful men and women to be forgiven of their sins and be shown mercy. That way, it can be done through the person and work of Jesus Christ. As you go on with your day, remember that God is and always will be willing to offer you mercy even though no one deserves it.