“You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” – Romans 9:19-20
This is a question about God’s integrity—if He’s truly in control, how can He hold anyone accountable? Are we just pawns on a divine chessboard? Paul anticipates this objection and responds not with a philosophical explanation, but with a rebuke: “But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God?” (Romans 9:20). This isn’t a dismissal of honest questions, but a warning against accusing God of injustice. Like Moses pleading to enter the Promised Land and being told, “Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter” (Deuteronomy 3:26), there are moments when God reminds us that He is God—and we are not. His decisions are not up for debate, and His character is never compromised.
Paul’s imagery of the potter and the clay drives this home. “Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’” (Romans 9:20). We are not the sculptors of our destiny—we are the clay in the hands of a sovereign Creator. This doesn’t mean we’re meaningless; it means our meaning is found in Him. Like a child questioning a parent’s rules without understanding the bigger picture, we often forget our place. God’s authority is not cold or distant—it’s righteous, wise, and good. He doesn’t owe us explanations, but He invites us to trust Him. And when we approach Him with humility, like Job or Jeremiah, He meets us with grace. But when we come with accusation, trying to put God on trial, we forget who holds the gavel.
So how do we respond? With reverence. With trust. With the humility of clay in the hands of a Master Potter. We may not understand every detail of God’s plan, but we can be sure of His heart. He is not only sovereign—He is good. He is not only powerful—He is merciful. And He is not only just—He is faithful. When questions arise, let them come from a heart that seeks, not a heart that accuses. God welcomes the cry of the confused, but not the challenge of the proud. Let’s remove the sandals of our hearts, like Moses before the burning bush, and approach His Word with awe. He is the One who forms, who calls, who saves—and He can be trusted.
“Paul does not attempt to defend God, as if God needed defending. Instead, he rebukes the spirit of the questioner. The issue is not that we may not ask questions, but that we must not presume to interrogate God as if He were accountable to us.” – John Stott
surrendered devotions 