Let God Be God

08/28/24 – 09/04/24

Will You Stumble?

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  08/29/24

Read Romans 9:19-33.

In light of God’s sovereignty, some may ask, “If God will have mercy on whomsoever He will, why pray? Why witness? Why get attacked by my coworkers or classmates for trying to tell them about Christ?” But here in Romans 9:19-33, Paul tells us that by asking such questions, we are expecting God to answer to us—when it is we, the created, who must answer to Him.

Don’t misunderstand: God does allow us as His children to ask why, and it is good for us to sincerely wrestle with Him about these matters. But we must not permit our pride to puff us up so that we demand answers from God and then reject Him when He does not respond in the way we think He should. We must remember we are but dust, just as Job did when faced with the majesty of God: “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know” (Job 42:3).

Though it is God who sovereignly elects His children since the beginning of time, in His perfect wisdom, He has chosen to use us as His messengers of salvation. Even though this confounds our understanding, this is core to the Christian faith and the heart of the mission of the church. May God grant us humble faith to receive this Truth so that we might not stumble over it but wear ourselves out in testifying to God’s amazing love displayed in Christ.

Prayer: God, You are Lord. You are sovereign over all, perfect in wisdom and all Your judgments. I trust You and surrender to You. Help me follow Your ways. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“One of you will say to me: ‘Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?’ But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?” (Romans 9:19-20a).