My Place: New Pack Member

Meet Trapper, my daughter’s (supposedly) husky/border collie cross. He’s a fine little pup who plays well with others, especially with the young German shepherd on the other end of the couch.

So we have two cats and three dogs in the house. At the end of next week it’ll be three cats and three dogs when we take in my son’s cat while he and his wife travel to Mexico for a wedding. There’s nothing so calming, you know, as living with a peaceful pack of animals. So far, our pack is peaceful. When the extra cat enters the mix things might be different.

Called According to Paul: Romans 9

This is another repost of an old post in the Called According to Paul series. I’m reposting them all, one per week (sort of), so I can link to them in the sidebar under Favorite Posts. An explanation of this series can be found here, and the already reposted pieces are here.

Not Herman RiddeSome form of the word called is found five times in Romans 9, first in verse 11:

And not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of his call—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” (Romans 9:10-13 ESV)

There’s no need for me to explain all of Romans 9 here, since these posts have a very specific purpose, and that’s to understand the way Paul uses the word call. Here are a few things I see in these verses:

• Here again, the call is linked with God’s purpose. In this case, it’s God’s purpose of election. God’s call, according to Paul, is based in God’s will or plan or purpose.
  
  
• Paul contrasts God’s call and “works”: not because of works but because of his call. God’s call is the determining factor in the older son serving the younger, and not the good or bad deeds of the sons. We might say that God’s call (in the way Paul uses the term) works freely to accomplish God’s purpose. God’s call brings about God’s plan, and in this case, God planned for Esau to serve Jacob. It is God’s call that causes his plan to become a reality.
  
  
• Just as we’ve seen in some of the other passages, God call is related to God’s love for a particular person, and with God’s choice (election).

Later in Romans 9, Paul uses called again:

What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea,

“Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’
and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”
26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.

In these verses

• God’s call is associated with God’s mercy. Those who are called are “vessels of mercy.”
  
  
• God’s call is also connected to a prior plan of God. The “vessels of mercy” who are called are “prepared beforehand for glory.”
  
  
• God’s call causes things to happen. Those who were not God’s people become his people, become “beloved”, and become “sons of the living God” because of God’s call. God’s call is a call with power.

What do you see that I missed? What can you see in this passage about the way Paul uses the word “called” when he uses it in regards to the call of God?

Thankful Thursday

My oldest daughter arrived here on Tuesday, driving alone from Vancouver. That meant tackling the long desolate Alaska highway during some cold temperatures and dicey driving conditions. I’m thankful that God brought her here safely—that he kept her tires on the road, kept her truck running, and gave the her wisdom to handle the circumstances. And I think she learned a good lesson, too: She says she will never do that again.

I’m thankful that the eight-month-old husky-border collie pup she brought with her is fitting into the pack. Youngest son, who does most of the dog discipline and care in this house, was a little stressed thinking about adding yet another dog to the mix, but so far it’s working out well, and that’s a really good thing.

I’m thankful for the peace that surrounds me: peace in my country, peace in my home, peace with God.

Throughout this year I’m planning to post a few thoughts of thanksgiving each Thursday along with Kim at the Upward Call and others.