It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. Romans 9:16
http://reknew.org/2008/01/how-do-you-respond-to-romans-9/ is a thoughtful response to the “determinism” approach to Chapter 9, explaining the hardening of hearts and hating of Esau which so stands against the Loving and Merciful God proclaimed throughout Scripture, demonstrated in our day-to-day lives, and declared in the offering up of His only begotten Son.
And while every Pharisetical bone in my body would like it to be about my White AngloSaxonWorkEthic and maintained schedules and checklists and paying my bills on time and willingness to put another plate on the table and then happily do dishes, it is not. And glory to His name, because in all honesty I join Paul, Pharisee of Pharisees, in acknowledging For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.
And His mercy is deep and broad.
For this reason I bow in prayer before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth gets its true name. I ask the Father in His great glory to give you the power to be strong inwardly through his Spirit. I pray that Christ will live in your hearts by faith and that your life will be strong in love and be built on love. And I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide and how long and how high and how deep that love is. Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with the fullness of God.
With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine. To him be glory in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen.
This is my prayer for you today.
http://reknew.org/2008/01/how-do-you-respond-to-romans-9/ is a thoughtful response to the “determinism” approach to Chapter 9, explaining the hardening of hearts and hating of Esau which so stands against the Loving and Merciful God proclaimed throughout Scripture, demonstrated in our day-to-day lives, and declared in the offering up of His only begotten Son.
And while every Pharisetical bone in my body would like it to be about my White AngloSaxonWorkEthic and maintained schedules and checklists and paying my bills on time and willingness to put another plate on the table and then happily do dishes, it is not. And glory to His name, because in all honesty I join Paul, Pharisee of Pharisees, in acknowledging For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.
And His mercy is deep and broad.
For this reason I bow in prayer before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth gets its true name. I ask the Father in His great glory to give you the power to be strong inwardly through his Spirit. I pray that Christ will live in your hearts by faith and that your life will be strong in love and be built on love. And I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide and how long and how high and how deep that love is. Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with the fullness of God.
With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine. To him be glory in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen.
This is my prayer for you today.
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