What if God, although choosing to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the objects of His wrath – prepared for destruction? What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the objects of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for His glory, even us – whom He called, not only from the Jews but also the Gentiles? As He says in Hosea: “I will call them my people, who are not my people; and I will call her my loved one who is not my loved one, and in the very place where it was said to them, you are not my people, there they will be called children of the living God.” (Romans 9:22-26)
God has objects of wrath and objects of mercy. Objects of mercy are those who know that they need a savior and know that Jesus is that savior. Objects of mercy receive God’s glory. God’s objects of wrath are those people who do not believe in Jesus, and unless they are drawn to God, they will receive God’s destruction. Now that I’m an object of God’s mercy, I receive God’s glory as He helps me fight battles and shows me His love every day. How could I have rejected Jesus? I was headed for destruction, but now I have God’s glory, joy, and eternal life.
This Scripture also says that God has great patience for those who are the objects of His wrath in order to make the riches of His glory known to the objects of His mercy. In other words, God has great patience for non-believers in order to make His riches of salvation, compassion, grace, and power to overcome evil, known to believers. God had great patience with me on my road to becoming a believer. I almost failed college as evil crept into my life and distracted me from my studies. My atheist boyfriend cheated on me. I could barely afford to eat. God could have shown great anger and let me fail or starve. But patiently, He took me on a journey. He carried me through the rough times by providing me with living situations that I could afford and a free tutor who helped me pass kinesiology. He sent me the man of my dreams who I am now married to. By being patient with me when I was a non-believer, He drew me to Himself and made His riches of salvation, compassion, grace, and His power to overcome evil, known to me. He called me His loved one before I was His loved one, and when I came to know Him and believe in His son, He grafted me into His family. I am now a daughter of Abraham. I am blessed to be a child of the living God!
He is with us through our darkest times. Times when we are unsure of how He answers our prayers and when we feel like a doubting Thomas. He sticks with us to show us His love and compassion.
With my best friend going through Stage 4 melanoma, this is a dark time for me. Her body seems to be producing new tumors every couple weeks. I have been praying constantly for a miracle for my friend and for God to give me peace during this time of uncertainty. I know God’s Holy Spirit lives in me, so He never leaves, but I can only feel His love and compassion when I’m not stressed or worried. I have to put my friend in God’s hands and know she will receive a miracle which will be either a tumor-free body on earth or her new body in heaven which will be tumor-free and tear-free. The fact that God can and will raise us up to heaven to live with Him in a brand new body is indeed a miracle.
I have been doing so much better these last couple of months with more dedication to praying and personal time with God. It has felt rewarding and God has surely been with me. I can feel his presence in my life. This past week has been filled with turmoil with my husband being sick. There were a lot of prayers being said for his health and they were certainly answered. Through the darkest times He is with us. I am convinced that my husband would not be here if God had not intervened.
I am so grateful for your/our miracle. Thank you, God!
I hope and pray that your friend will be blessed with good health. I have prayed for her health, peace and comfort. I have also prayed for you in accepting God’s plan no matter what it might be.
My friend and I have prayed together a lot. I am seeing how many of our prayers might be answered through her medical condition so I’m praying for that as well as her complete healing. My friend’s faith has made her strong, and I’m praying her family sees that. Thank you so much for your prayers concerning my friend and myself.