“Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! For God said to Moses, ‘I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.’ So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.” (Romans 9:14-16 NLT)
Romans 9 is an interesting chapter that, in some ways, raises more questions than it answers, and, perhaps, that’s exactly what I’m going to do in this post. But here’s my disclaimer: When it’s all said and done, God can do whatever He pleases that will ultimately accomplish His eternal purposes. What role does prayer play in the process? On what basis does God decide who lives and who dies? Who fails and who succeeds?
These and a thousand other questions invade our minds, but for me, I’ve cast my lot with Jesus. He can do anything He chooses in, through, and on my behalf, whatever will render to Him the most glory. Period. He has chosen to show me mercy when I didn’t deserve it and withheld it when I thought I did. I suspect I’m joined in believing that by a large percentage of the people who have ever lived.
However, the plot thickens when we look more globally at what’s happening in our world. The Lord chooses the rulers of the world. Again, in Romans 9:17, Paul wrote: “For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, ‘I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying My power in you and to spread My fame throughout the earth.’”
That raises so many questions, but the point is, He’s God and we’re not; He can make the hard decisions because His perspective is far broader than ours. We believe the future of the world is riding on the election happening in a few days in my country and I can assure you, it is, but not for the reasons many believe. The timing is perfect for whomever is elected.
You see, God is the Captain of this “Ship” called Planet Earth. And just as surely as He knew exactly why He chose Noah to build an Ark, and Pharoah through whom to free His people, He knows exactly who will be elected and why. Does that mean He has Predetermined the future? No, it means He’s omniscient and knows everything about everything. Of course He knows how it’s all going to end because He’s seen every piece of the puzzle being fit together before He ever created the first particle of dust.
Does He know the next car you’ll buy? Or the socks you’ll choose to wear tomorrow morning? Of course, but did He coerce you in any way to make those choices? Your wife may have, but He doesn’t make us do anything, He knows because He’s God.
Regardless of what happens in America on November 5th we can know with certainty that God will use it for the good of His people and allow His will to be accomplished through it. As in virtually any election, good people will be hurt, and bad people will “win.” There is a lot of human “engineering of circumstances” that go on behind the scenes of any major event, but none of which God is not aware and none which He won’t use for our good, as His people, and to His honor, glory and fame.
The same “finger of God” who healed the blind, the crippled, and diseased will continue to work powerfully in, through, and on behalf of His people, readying them (us) for what’s inevitably coming when He calls the activities of this earth to a halt. While I don’t know when that day will come, I do know at least two things about it: (1) It will be sooner than any of us can imagine and (2) you definitely want to make sure before that day that you’re ready to meet Jesus. If you’re not sure, please go to Ron Hutchcraft’s Bridge to God.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 