Are You Building an Invisible Ladder?

Father, thank You for the opportunity to interact with people from my churches. Sometimes it’s more difficult than other times, but seeds are planted when You are in charge. All praise to You!

Romans 9:15-16 (<<click here to read the passage)

For he says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
….and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. NIV

Ladders are not my favorite things, but I must use them on occasion. And not just any ladder will do. One of my ladders was rejected by its owner. At least one of its steps has been replaced and it’s just a tad rickety but overall, it’s solid. Anytime I need to get up on our roof or clean out gutters it’s the one for me.

This particular ladder is constructed of wood and is held together with metal rods pulled tight by tightened nuts on each end of the rod. Like I said it’s solid. But what if I used twigs found in my yard, or straw from some local farmer’s field? What if I made one of marshmallows and toothpicks? Except for something decorative, those other means of constructing a ladder would be ludicrous in real life.

We touched on this topic a few days ago, but the Apostle Paul once again tells us that our salvation does not depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

The notes from my Life Application Study Bible paint an excellent picture.

The fallacy of gaining salvation by human effort remains as strong as ever – people…imagine that their efforts are building an invisible ladder to heaven made of service, family, position, reputation, good work, and desire, although none of these rungs will support a feather. People are so busy trying to reach God that they completely miss the truth that God has already reached down to them. We cannot earn God’s mercy – if we could, it would not be mercy. (emphasis mine)

It simply cannot be stressed enough, when it comes to our relationships with God all we are called to do is to obey. No other act or “contribution” makes any difference.

Back in the book of Exodus, Moses asked to see God and interestingly enough, God agreed. It tells us in Exodus 33:19,

And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. NIV

It is solely up to God…and no one can argue with that.

July 6^th, 2023, Thurs, 8:20 pm