Scripture teaches all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). It's not about entitlement but understanding our place in God's plan. The Word of God cautions us, 'Do not think more of yourself than you ought to' (Rom. 12:3). Let us not be consumed by pride, for it leads to destruction. We are not entitled to do and say whatever pleases us. Instead, let us strive to do all things pleasing to God.
We, as mortals, are made in His image. Who are we to question the Lord? “For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion” (Rom. 9:15). “So then, it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy” (Rom. 9:16)! It does not matter if you are rich; neither Elon Musk nor King Charles can override God’s will. God’s choices take precedence. He chose to create humankind and designed a template with a unique DNA strand to produce different images of humanity. This is a testament to His power, mercy, and love.
To this day, we can only understand humankind's origin through faith in God. We do not believe humans evolved from animals or a DNA Strand left from the Big Bang. Genesis 1:27 reminds us, “God created mankind in his image, in the image of God he created them.” He did not speak humankind into existence; He took the time to mold man into a magnificent being capable of evolving into a new creation.
God intentionally set humans apart. David praised God, fearfully acknowledging that he was wonderfully made. No matter how wonderful or important we think we are, we are not entitled to question the Lord. Adam did not ask God for a helper. God decided Adam needed a helper. We must choose the Lord and His Way to claim our inheritance. God, the Creator of the universe, chose humans to be like Him. Over the years, humans deviated from God’s plan, but ultimately, He will fix it. We may not always understand the 'who, how, and why, but we must trust God. Trust in His plan is key to embracing humility and seeking spiritual growth.
He fixed Saul; He can fix us, too. Saul was bad news for Christians, but God revealed Himself to Saul on Damascus Road and enlightened him about His ways. The Lord chose Saul and used his conversion to Paul to spread the Good News of the Gospel. By converting Saul to Paul, God showed us that learning, adding to our faith, and becoming a new creation in Christ is possible. We are used differently to demonstrate God’s power. No one is entitled, and His judgments are always fair! This is a testament to the awe-inspiring nature of God's choices and divine plan for us.
Minister Nettie Pennington, Associate Minister, Springfield MB Church
