Sovereign God, A Lump of Clay, and Grace that Amazes Me

Jeremiah 18: 1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

5 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

Romans 9:

15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Romans 8: 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Before I begin, I understand those of you who may wish to rebel against these verses.  When I went to these verses I had a completely different message that I had planned; but, then I read these verses in context instead of taking them out of context which is what I have always heard them preached.  After reading, re-reading and much prayer, I with some trepidation will proceed to explain these as best as I can.   Perhaps my trepidation comes from the fact that most churches run quickly from stating that God is 100% Sovereign and there is nothing that happens within the earth or my life that was not allowed or ordained by God.  So what about my free will–what happens to it?  Oh, yes, I have a free will; but that free will is and will always be contrary to God because this covetous heart would always be at enmity toward God were it not that a Sovereign God would have chosen to show me grace. It is by His Will that I be chosen and if chosen I will be transformed into Christ’s likeness; though, the free will often wants to believe that maybe I have something good that caused Him to choose me.   We live in this society which so desires to believe in self will, self determination, self exalting, and self esteem which is destroyed if you grasp this truth of God’s Sovereignty.  Only He knows how many fires it will take to mold this lump of clay into Christ likeness.  Only He knows how many times He will need to break me to reshape this lump of clay that is I until my will is consumed by His Will.  So, some would say, then why pray, why study, why teach, why preach; if God is so Sovereign, then what difference does it make.  But, I say how can I do any less?  His Sovereign Hand has so drawn this unfaithful heart to fall so madly in love with Him, how can I do anything else?  Then why would a loving and merciful God choose one and not another, if indeed He is Sovereign?  Look very closely at verses 22 and 23.  Would I understand the magnitude of His Righteousness; had I not understood the depravity of Evil?  Adam had eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; before that, Adam did not realize the brilliance of God’s Glory and Righteousness, nor Adam’s own lack thereof.  So, what if God is willing to show His wrath against Sin and to fully let His power be known; He waits patiently, not calling down immediate judgement so that those whom He has chosen can fully understand the depth of His Glory and the magnitude of His Mercy toward us.  After all, did Adam recognize the love and the privilege he had walking in the Garden with God; until it was gone.  Can I understand the depth of His Love for me, unless I truly see His Mercy and Grace toward me as so amazing?  Can I bow in adoration of Him, willing to let Him transform me throughout whatever trial He desires; if I did not understand His Sovereignty?  Can I trust in all the promises set forth in Romans 8 of future, sustaining grace; if, I did not recognize His Sovereignty?  Could I understand the fullness of Joy found in Him if I had not had my heart broken so many times by counterfeit Joy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNClAJO2tnQ