God's Good Pleasure

 DEVOTION

THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS

GOD’S GOOD PLEASURE

Rom 9:10-15

10 Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad — in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls — she was told, "The older will serve the younger."   13 Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."   14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."  

NIV

One of the best-overused portions of scripture by those proponents of the doctrine of election. But this is not about election, this is about the divine pleasure of God. According to the custom of the day, and that certainly continues in many areas today, which is predominantly displayed in the Royalty of England. The firstborn is the next in line for the crown, period. All others can live a good life, living as a royal, but they will never inherit the crown. The twin sons of Rebekah Jacob and Esau had not even been born when the pleasure of God overruled the custom of man. Typically, the firstborn son would inherit all the Father’s wealth, even with twins, one always comes forth from the womb first, which was Esau, followed by clinging to his heal was Jacob. What is interesting is that neither of these two sons had an opportunity to develop any character that could be judged either good or bad. Neither could display any reason for the choice of God to select the younger over the older. This is a full-on example of the good pleasure of God. This gives us the hope that we cannot earn any of his good pleasure because of our good works, or by our being a good person. It was by the good pleasure of God that he sent his Son Jesus to die on the cross so that whosoever wanted to accept the pleasure of God, his amazing grace, no matter how good or bad a person might think themselves to be. We know many people have a hangup about God hating Esau. What is always forgotten is that God was demonstrating that He overrules the law of men, and the customs of men and that we are all subject to the good pleasure of God, however, because of his great love, he offered himself as the only acceptable sacrifice so that whosoever believes in him will inherit eternal life. It is all about the will of God, the good pleasure of God regardless of anything man does. No one can say that God chose him because of his goodness, or abilities that could benefit the kingdom. No one can say that God chose him because he is special in some way. No man has anything to offer God that would put him in contention to be loved more than any other by God. Although it might go against man’s desire for recognition, it is all about God’s good pleasure and he has shown that good pleasure is a free gift in his Son. It is God’s good pleasure to offer salvation to anyone who accepts it. We need to get used to the fact that we live according to God’s good pleasure.