Vessels

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—even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 

Romans 9:22-24 

I couldn't tell you how many times I had read the book of Romans when the verses above just popped out at me. You see, Romans is one of my favorite books. I've read it over and over again. I enjoy it and find myself going back to it often. But for some reason those verses had just never stood out to me until one day...there they were.

And on that day I knew a new kind of pain. One in which I not only saw that my salvation had been given to me, not because I chose to believe in Christ and prayed the sinners prayer as many believe constitutes salvation, but because the Lord in His power and wisdom, chose to save me out of billions of people. I had understood that my salvation came through the hands of my Lord and not through anything I had done for quite sometime. But when Romans 9:22-24 stood out to me for the first time I saw something I hadn't seen before. 

I clearly saw...

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

What I saw was that God has endured vessels of wrath (people) that were prepared for destruction. He's putting up with people He created for destruction! 

Why?

That same set of verses answers that too. It goes on to say...

In order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy.

Let's back up for just a minute. I found the following definitions for vessel.

1 a :  a container (as a cask, bottle, kettle, cup, or bowl) for holding something

b :  a person into whom some quality (as grace) is infused <a child of light, a true vessel of the Lord — H. J. Laski>

2

:  a watercraft bigger than a rowboat; especially :  ship 1

3

a :  a tube or canal (as an artery) in which a body fluid is contained and conveyed or circulated

b :  a conducting tube in the xylem of a vascular plant formed by the fusion and loss of end walls of a series of cell

Take a look at the definition for 1b...a person into whom some quality (as grace) is infused.... a person with a quality. What quality? Romans 9: 22-24 tell us. In one place it speaks of vessels of wrath, later it talks of vessels of mercy.

So the Lord is enduring vessels (people) of wrath prepared for destruction. He's putting up with people He created for the purpose of destroying them.

Why?

...in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy.

Who are the vessels of mercy? The believers, his chosen ones, his elect. The ones ...which he has prepared beforehand for glory.

And that was the moment when I experienced a new kind of hurt. So because he saved me there are people out there that he prepared for destruction so that my salvation could happen. That brought with it a sense of guilt because they didn't stand a chance because I did. My salvation was through nothing I did. It wasn't me but the Lord. And still that nagging sense of guilt when I fully understood what Romans 9:22-24 was saying. Because I am saved someone can't be.

That brings me to a topic I want to cover in another post but will briefly touch on here. The Lord has planned our paths since before the beginning of time. I once said I wished the Lord would just reach down and put me where He wanted me. When I got off the path He'd reach down and move me back. Like a pawn in a game board. When I said that my mother told me to be careful what I was saying because living like that would be a bad thing. But for me it wouldn't be. I said that before I fully understood the Truths of Scripture. Now I know I'm nothing but a pawn in the Lord's game. He does put me where he wants me. And since He does, since the plan for my life was long ago mapped out...what and who had to be in place at certain points in my life to get me to where the Lord wanted me so that He could save me when He did. The people, good and bad, that were in my life...the experiences, good and bad...all added up to making sure I was who and what the Lord wanted me to be at the moment that He moved me into the next place. To get me to the point that He could save me...how many people crossed my path and effected who I was? How many people helped test and strengthen my faith? How many people helped break my spirit? How many vessels of destruction might the Lord have had to use to get me to be the person He wanted me to be?

In order to make known the riches of his glory to vessels of mercy.

Vessels of wrath were sacrificed...and put up with by the Lord and others...so that I, a vessel of mercy, might be saved.

Wow! There aren't words for what that makes me feel. Sad because those people never stood a chance. Amazed that the Lord put those people here so He could save me. Awed that He went to such lengths for all of His people. Guilt that I was picked as a vessel of mercy when I didn't deserve it.

I recently told my daughter about those verses. I knew she wasn't ready for them, that they hold a truth so deep in Scripture that just hearing it could scare her. But I also knew that she was discussing something where the best response was to tell her of those verses and let her make of them what she could. When I told her she was shocked. I could see it on her face, see it in the way she didn't speak for a few minutes, hear it in her voice when she did. And I understood. Because those verses are shocking. They bring with them a world of human emotions. 

And the Lord has saved me.

What does it do to those that are lost? 

I still find myself having to stop and just marvel when I read those verses. I have to process it for just a moment each time I see it. I have to remember what it's saying about me. I have to thank my Lord that I for some reason I'll never know found favor in my Lord's eyes and that I am a vessel of mercy. I have to thank Him for not making me a vessel of wrath prepared for destruction.

Because He saved me.

When I wouldn't have sought Him...he set the plan in motion.

When I wouldn't have chosen Him...He chose me.