I disagree with what you interpret as “clearly” taught in Romans 9. This format of communication is far to limited to debate it, but in short I believe Romans 9 is primarily about the Nation of Israel being chosen above other nations and how individuals, representing those nations, were used by God, yet still responsible for their own choices to sin or rebel. Let’s talk soon and discuss this some more brother.

If anything, the context for Romans 9 is that while Israel is blessed as a Nation under the Old Covenant the blessing of Christ is offered to all people of all nations as individuals. What I am suggesting than Don is that the great and high call of God comes through Jesus Christ’s offer of salvation from sin along with a restored relationship and eternal life with the Father.

21Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?

It clearly teaches that Pharaoh was raised up so God might demonstrate his power.

17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “(AI)FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.” (caps in text.)

You are suggesting that God creates everyone for a high and noble calling and I don’t see the Bible supporting that belief. And I don’t see evidence for that belief in real life. Are you suggesting that God has called tens of millions of starving people individually to a noble purpose but that this noble purpose is not realized due to a few evil warlords withholding food? So the prayers of millions of Christians on behalf of these starving people do not get acted upon because of the power of these evil warlords? Why? Is the free will of these warlords more important to God than the lives of millions of Christians who call upon Him daily for physical survival?

If God’s calling on someone is dependent upon not being interfered with from an “evil” person, then the idea of everyone on the planet having a noble calling is just an exercise in philosophy with no functional reality as there will always be evil people interfering.

You wrote, “Joe, do you think God created every single person to have a high an noble calling?”
Absolutely, yes. That calling, which I did not outline in the blog post, begins with 2 simple concepts. 1. all life was created with inherent value regardless of wealth or infirmity. 2. for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son so whoever believed in him would not perish but have everlasting life.

You wrote, “I think of the starving kids I worked with in Africa. I knew that many of them would die a very painful death due to where they were born and the lack of food. I think of Romans 9 where God creates SOME for noble purposes and others to be examples of God’s judgment (like pharaoh)”
Trying to apply Romans 9 to the context of poverty makes no sense. That passage has a specific context that has nothing to do with poverty or starvation.

You wrote, “Then I get depressed thinking about it and the old existentialist belief which you articulated “life has no meaning except for that which you give it” seems better than “you are one of the ones God has raised up to not have enough food and to starve so that other Christians will have an outlet for grace.”
Then allow me to lift your depression by giving you another choice since both of the ones you outline are quite depressing. Your second option demonstrates are rather sick view of God thinking he created poverty and starves children just to show his goodness. Poverty is a result of sin (see my post on Haiti for example). Children in Africa are starving because evil warlards hoard the food sent by relief agencies and they savage the land killing and destroying all who oppose them. God did not create poverty so Christians could have an outlet for good works. I would suggest to you that God created Christians to do good works because of the existence of poverty.

Joe, do you think God created every single person to have a high an noble calling? I think of the starving kids I worked with in Africa. I knew that many of them would die a very painful death due to where they were born and the lack of food. I think of Romans 9 where God creates SOME for noble purposes and others to be examples of God’s judgment (like pharaoh). Then I get depressed thinking about it and the old existentialist belief which you articulated “life has no meaning except for that which you give it” seems better than “you are one of the ones God has raised up to not have enough food and to starve so that other Christians will have an outlet for grace.”

Way to steal my thunder.