Vessels
of Mercy
By Susan Klein
“What if God,
although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured
with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for
destruction? And He did so to make known the riches
of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for
glory, even us…”
Romans
9:22-24a (NASB)
I’ve
been camping out in the book of Romans lately. Our pastor is preaching from it
and our small group is delving into it. As often happens when immersed in God’s
Word, a passage that I’ve previously read a number of times suddenly comes to
life. In chapter nine, Paul is expressing his despair over Israel’s rejection
of the Messiah. Being a Jew himself, he goes so far as to say that his great
anguish has made him wish/pray that he, himself, could be cut off from Christ
if it would lead to the belief of his Jewish brothers. Wow! I desire to see the
lost come to know Christ, but would I be willing to give up my salvation in order
for it to happen? My life, maybe. But, my salvation?
Fortunately, God does not call us to do something so extreme.
Paul knows this to be true. He himself advocates God’s grace as being
irrevocable. But Paul makes another good point in the above text. While we
can’t trade places with someone who is perishing, we are to be “vessels of
mercy.” Have you ever thought of yourself in this way? If you’ve accepted God’s gift of grace and mercy, you are a vessel of His mercy!
Let me gently paraphrase the above text:
God is just, and is
rightfully capable of exercising His powerful wrath on those who deserve it.
But, He is also long-suffering (desiring that no one perish) toward those who
reject Him, exercising great restraint so that His glory may be shown through
us, His chosen ones, prepared in advance to share His mercy with others.
You may think of yourself as a “cracked pot,” a “broken
pitcher,” or even just a “lump of clay,” but The Potter desires to use you just
as you are to be His “vessel of mercy” to those around you. You don’t have to
get your cracks filled, your pieces glued back together, or be molded into a
beautifully crafted urn before He can use you. Whether you’re battered and
broken, or a mere piece of greenware, you’re filled with the riches of His
grace and mercy. Are you a willing vessel, ready to be poured out on someone?
GOING DEEPER:
1.
Are you giving more thought to the condition of your vessel or what’s inside?
2. What are you pouring out?
FURTHER READING:
Susan is married to
Mark, and has two adult children. She enjoys teaching Bible studies, writing,
and tutoring with the Literacy Council. She is a member of the Peace Team at
Oakwood and co-leads a small group at Wednesday Night Community.
