God's grace

A pastor once sat in the vestry of his church to meet anyone who might have spiritual difficulties. One man came and the pastor asked, “What is your difficulty?” The man answered, “My difficulty is in Romans 9, where it says, ‘Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.’” “Yes,” said the minister, “there is great difficulty in that verse. But which part of the verse is difficult for you?”

“The latter part, of course,” said the man. “I cannot understand why God should hate Esau.” The minister replied, “The verse is difficult, but my difficulty has always been with the first part of the verse. I never could understand how God could love that wily, deceitful, supplanting scoundrel, Jacob.”

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8