Romans 9:14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all!
If I started talking about what I *deserve* because of my age, my seniority, my hard work, my positive attitude, etc, I’m hopeful that it wouldn’t take me long to realize I am seriously off-track. And, usually, it doesn’t take long down the path of “positive things that I deserve” to realize that there are a whole lot of negative things I deserve, too, because of my impatience, my anger, my pride, my shortsightedness, etc.
Romans 9:15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
Thankfully, God doesn’t treat me as my behavior *deserves.* In the grand scheme of life, there are far more times where my attitude tends negative before I reign it back to positive. His grace is a gift that I take for granted, and that needs to stop.
Romans 9:16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
Precious Savior, Thank You for Your mercy and grace. Help me to treat others with the same compassion, not because they deserve it, but because You extend such grace to me when I don’t. Amen.
Romans 9:17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
Have a blessed day.