God's Mercy

Readings:
Nehemiah 9
Romans 9:1-16

Focus:
Romans 9:16: "Thus it does not depend on human will or effort, but on God's mercy."

God chooses us before we are even born. It is a matter of his love and mercy, and not a matter of what we do or don't do.

What we do and don't do, of course, makes a difference in how our lives and other people's lives turn out. We can cause all kinds of hurt and pain. So it is important to live our lives in obedience to what God wants.

But ultimately, God's choice to love us depends on him, not on us. It does not depend on human will or effort, but on God's mercy.