Devotion: From vessels of wrath to vessels of mercy

Who we were? - Eph 2: 3

Many of us have heard of hereditary diseases. From the parents, it transmits to the children. If the parents have, the children are also most likely to have that disease.

Bible also says about one such problem, the problem which we got from our grand grandparents - Adam and Eve. And this problem affected the entire mankind since we are children of that one parent.

“Like the rest of mankind, we were by nature children of wrath …”

Being the children of that parent, we cannot be children of any other thing. We must not miss the phrase ‘by nature’. In other words, Paul is speaking of what we are by conception, by heredity and by birth, from that moment on.

 It is not the result of any of the things which are mentioned above. It is not because of the passions of our flesh, not because of the desires of our body and mind, or not because of the influence of evil habits, and bad companions, and abuse, and unfortunate education, and key wrong decisions we made. By nature we behaved in this way; this was our inclination and the wrath of God was the inevitable response.
“Like the rest of mankind..” it’s a universal rule applicable for all. All are children of wrath by nature. Entire mankind.
Paul tells us here that we are children of wrath. That is what I deserve. That is where I stand, under the holy condemnation of a righteous and sin-hating God.

Ok. That’s what we were – children of wrath. Then what changed our nature?

What made the change?

Rom 5:9 – Through the justification by the blood.

Here it talks about a provision where God’s wrath can be removed from us.

How are we saved from the wrath of God?  - Through the justification by the blood.

How are we justified?  - At the right time, Christ died for the ungodly.

Imagine the situation if we have not received salvation. We continue to be the children of wrath. And we are very clear from the OT incidents how God acts on his wrath – so many incidents.

We know in the end days, God wrath is going to be fully revealed.

John 3:36 – God’s wrath remains on them who rejects salvation.

After believing in Jesus Christ, after being justified by his blood, we are no more the children of wrath. Our nature got changed. What are we now?

Who are we now?

 Romans 9:22 – Here Apostle Paul talks about the two categories of people.

1. Vessels of wrath
2. Vessels of mercy.

By default, all are the children or vessels of wrath (by nature). But the moment we believed in Jesus Christ, accepted His salvation, God’s wrath has been removed from us and we received eternal life.

Now we belong to the second category – the vessels of mercy.

Not only our nature got changed but our destinies also.

And what is vessels of mercy prepared for? – For glory.

And what is vessels of wrath prepared for? – For destruction.

From the children of wrath to the vessels of mercy which is prepared for eternal glory, eternal life. It’s the justification by the blood. At the right time Christ died for the ungodly. When we remember the death of our savior let us also remember the change that happened to us. 

Devotion: Deliverance from a great danger - Psalm 30

Psalm 30

May God's name be glorified. 

This is one of the thanksgivings Psalms of David. It commemorates a deliverance from a great danger.

The division into two unequal portions

V1-5 - > Briefly explaining the deliverance and an exhortation to praise God all his saints.

V7-12 –> Deliverance in more detailed manner and burst forth of Joy.

Psalm 30 : Song at the dedication of the temple

The most probable occasion for writing this Psalm is 1 Chron 21:1 - 22:6.

David misplaced his trust in his superior army than God. He took a census of his army. His army strength was 8 million in Israel, 5 million in Judah.

God got angry. God asked which one of the 3 destruction David prefer.

a.       Three years of famine?

b.      3 months of fleeing from your enemy

c.       3 days of pestilence in your land?

David opted for the option 3 as anyone would select. David had valid reasons that he selected. He said “Let us fall into the hands of God for his mercy is great; but not into the hands of Man”

Then God sent an angel to carry out destruction. Angel started his Job. From Dan to Beersheba he struck 70,000 people. Then he turned towards Jerusalem. God relented from the calamity and commanded the angel to stop. Then David saw the angel asked for his forgiveness at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

He was asked to raise an altar there. Later David planned to build the temple there itself.

False confidence of David – In his prosperity

Now let’s come to verse 6.

Here it says about a problem which we all have.

“When I felt secure, I said, I will never be shaken.. “.

Some translation – “As for me, I said in my prosperity, I shall not be moved.”

We may not say it but its there within our mind.

V7 – By your favour, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed.

When things were going smoothly, when he had a great army, when he was winning the battles, after he had expanded his kingdom he forgot it was all the favour of God.

David slowly misplaced his trust in His army. He has reasons for it. There were totally 13 million people in his army. His soldiers are not like the soldiers that we may see in our Indian Army. He had a group which people called David’s mighty men

-          Josheb basshebeth – Single handily killed 800 people at one time.

-          Abhishai – Wielded his spear against 300 men and killed them.

-          Eleazer, Shammah etc.

Yes David forgot it was God’s favour.

Let me tell you dear brethren  if things around you are going good, when things are standing firm, when things are secure don’t forget one thing – it’s the favor of God.

We normally take things for granted.

V8 – You hid your face, I was dismayed (struck with fear).

Anger Vs Mercy of God

V6 – Anger for a moment, but favor is for a lifetime.

V7 – Weeping may tarry for the night but joy comes with the morning.

Our God is not a God who forgets his mercy, compassion, kindness and forgiveness when He is angry. His anger is only for a moment compared to his mercy.

When God asked David to choose a punishment, David selected the punishment from God. Reason we can see in 1 Chron 21:13 – “ Let me fall into the hand of Lord for his mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man”

Isaiah 54:7, 8 – In overflowing anger, for a short moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love… “

Dear brethren, when he disciplines us like a Father discipline his children. He will not forget his mercy, compassion and kindness. He is our loving father. In NT, we can see this disciplining as an expression of love not anger.

Yes weeping may tarry for the night, but definitely joy comes with the morning.