Paul asked who can resist the will of God? How can you, a mere human, argue with God? Does the potter control his clay? Can the clay complain to the potter? God is patient with his wrath. The rich glory of God goes out to Jews and gentiles. Have you ever complained about God?
the mercy of God
Prayer for life (Sir 23:1-23:3)
“O Lord!
Father!
Ruler of my life!
Do not abandon me
To their designs!
Do not let me fall
Because of them!
Who will set whips
Over my thoughts?
Who will set
The discipline of wisdom
Over my mind?
Do not spare me
In my errors!
Do not overlook my sins!
Otherwise my mistakes
May be multiplied.
My sins may abound.
I may fall
Before my adversaries.
My enemy may rejoice
Over me.
From them,
The hope of your mercy
Is remote.”
Sirach prays to the Lord, the Father, the ruler of his life. He did not want to fall into the hands of his enemies. He wanted to be disciplined with wisdom. He did not want to be spared from his errors and sins. If these sins and errors were not corrected now, they would multiply. His sins would increase exponentially. He would fall before his adversaries. Then his enemies would rejoice over him. He knew that he had no chance of mercy from them, unlike the mercy of God that protected his life.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 