Have Mercy!

Romans 9:1-18

Paul was at pains to explain why Jews--his people--were not all becoming followers of Jesus Christ while at the same time many non-Jews were. Had God rejected Israel? And what about the law and its role in the life of this new community? These were difficult issues to address but were of great concern to both Paul and his readers. "What then are we to say?" Paul asks. "Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy" (Romans 9:14-16). At the heart of the matter is God's grace and mercy. Salvation does not depend on being Jewish or on strict adherence to the law. Salvation was dependent on God, and how God chose to impart salvation was, and is, up to God alone to decide.

This is good news. As Paul says, who it is that receives mercy and compassion is up to God. It is not up to us to earn that grace. Nor do we have a say in how God goes about the work of salvation. God will show mercy to whomsoever God chooses. When we accept this reality, when we allow God to be God, we are freed to live life with newfound joy, responding to God's claim on our lives, not because we have to, but because that is what God's people do, whoever they happen to be.

Prayer: Lord, help us to embrace your gift of mercy as a source of joy and to live as people who realize how blessed we really are. In Jesus' name. Amen.