18 August 2025
What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! For he tells Moses, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then, it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy.
Paul does not shy away from the question that stings the heart. “Is there injustice with God?” His reply is immediate and absolute. “Absolutely not!” The accusation of unfairness dissolves when seen through the lens of God’s sovereign mercy. As Mark said, “God is just. He always acts in accordance with what is morally right and fair. And His purpose according to election is not unjust.”
At Sinai, Moses pleaded, Show me Your glory. The Lord passed before him, declaring, “I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.” God revealed that His glory shines brightest in sovereign mercy. As Mark reminded us, “God’s mercy does not rest on the worthy. On the striving. God’s mercy comes to rebels. Like you and me.” Mercy is never earned, never owed, always undeserved.
This is liberating in a world that demands performance. Work demands output. Home demands attention. Parenting demands patience. Life feels like an endless scorecard. Yet Paul insists, “It does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy.” That is gospel relief. Your standing before God is not tethered to your productivity but to His compassion.
Mark pressed the point with force: “Election hangs on one hinge. God who shows mercy sovereign choice. The Potter shapes vessels without consulting clay.” For the believer, this truth shatters pride and anchors hope. You did not achieve salvation. You received mercy. Your daily failures cannot undo what mercy has done.
So begin today not by trying to prove yourself worthy but by resting in God’s sovereign kindness. Let prayer rise from your lips, not as a performance but as thanksgiving. Confess your weakness. Rejoice in His mercy. In Christ, God’s “Absolutely not!” silences every whisper of injustice. His mercy holds you still.
Discussion Question:
How does knowing that God’s mercy is not earned change the way you handle pressure to “perform” at work or home?
Prayer:
Lord, silence my pride and striving. Teach me to rest in Your mercy, not my merit. Amen.
Read the sermon notes here.
Watch the sermon here.
This devotional content is not penned by the preacher. It is derived from the sermon notes. We aim to provide bite-sized reflections throughout the week for devotion and reflection.