Tag: Justice

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Wickedness Within.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Confuse them, Lord, and frustrate their plans, for I see violence and conflict in the city. Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders, but the real danger is wickedness within the city. Everything is falling apart; threats and cheating are rampant in the streets. Psalms‬ ‭55‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

On the run again, David is hiding and being hunted from his own son Absalom. Absalom wins the hearts of the people, plotting to take the throne away from his father. David has to run. At sixty years old, David feels completely exhausted to have to return to a life he had long forgotten – life on the lamb! In David’s mind he wishes he could escape this reoccurring nightmare, ”Oh, that I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest! I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness. Interlude How quickly I would escape— far from this wild storm of hatred.” Yet, within this prayer, is an interesting perspective on the state of Israel.

From David’s view, the city, the kingdom is in trouble – but not from a foreign enemy. He sings, there is “wickedness within.” David’s song makes me reflect on our own country and the condition of its own constituents. What if the enemies within, the rampant evils within are greater than any threats from others? What defenses are prepared to hold off the disunity, the lawlessness and violence within. Since our 9/11 attacks, I wondered if our own enemies have figured out that they do not need to declare war on America. We have tremendous internal divisiveness, coupled with selfish desires to be free in a “self-proclaimed” liberty. We have thrown off OG morality and decency, which alone, is enough to destroy us from within!

Our sacred individualism over community, our personal rights over what’s best for our country, has left us weak and defenseless with our internal struggles. We are just weeks from a highly divided and controversial national election. And what are the debates and the divides, our personal preferences above anything else! Who will guard our independence, interests and individualism? Oh, how desperate we desire to escape the boundaries and restraints of what is good and right, true and just. Forgive us oh God, for we know not what we do! Save us from ourselves. Restore us to yourself. No matter who wins the white-house, may we rise to be one nation under God, indivisible and with justice for all!

Prayer

​Dad,
I can clearly see in Your Word that you care deeply about how we live our life, especially when it comes to subjects like justice and mercy. Maybe true justice IS mercy? Being right and doing right is a mystery of life. Even in all the pain and mayhem that Absalom brought to Israel and his own father, David would not raise his hand to participate in his end! Similar to King Saul, David must have had enormous internal conflicts navigating the extremes. In the end You Oh Lord are the only one capable of delivering justice and mercy! Have mercy on us Lord, but let your justice rise to destroy evils in our land. Amen.

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Justice Tunes.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked. Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence, for you hate all who do evil. You will destroy those who tell lies. The Lord detests murderers and deceivers. ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭5‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

David rocks the justice tunes on a flute. That’s right, a little note at the top of this Psalm says, “accompanied by flute.” This Psalm, like many of them are actually songs! I wonder how many instruments David played? I understand that many of the Jewish songs were sung in minor keys. Apparently, this was yet another way to show the angst of the people waiting for the Messiah. As you know the minor keys are known for their anticipation of completion. This is what makes Jazz so edgy and cool!

At this point David is on the run from his own son, Absalom. Clearly, as David plays this tune, he is thinking of Absalom and those who lead with evil intent. Things started off with a bang in David’s life, especially after slaying Goliath, the giant. He goes from the least in his family, as a shepherd for his father’s sheep, to a hero and working directly king Saul.

David’s life and many of the Psalms parallel the extreme ups and downs of country and culture. I don’t know how many guys journal, keeping a record of their personal and public life. David doesn’t just keep a log, he coverts some of them into songs, published in the book of Psalms! Personally, I think the content of Psalm 5 should be in the “Christian metal” genre of rock, dark and heavy. There currently 50 different “rock” genres since classic rock. Unfortunately, it would be a few thousand years before electric guitars would be invented, so David had to riff on his flute.

Prayer

​Dad,
I am so grateful for the collections in the Psalms. They have been the inspiration for the highest moments of praise as well as the lowest prayers of misery. Psalms has been a good teacher when I have collapsed under the weight of life and bad decisions. It has also been there in extreme times of fear and anxiety. Every time it brought me into your presence, helping me express helplessness and eventually coming around to peace. So Psalms has been an instrument of both praise and peace in life! Thank you for those words to carry me through and lift my soul to heaven. Amen.

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Powerful political plots.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

”Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” ‭‭Esther‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In the book bearing Queen Esther’s name, where the name of God does not appear, it reveals a story within THE story. Israel had already served their time out, its leaders and its people now 100 years AFTER captivity in the great Babylon. The Bible Project is helpful in giving us a timeline and facts about this amazing book.

“This is one of the more exciting and curious books in the Bible. While some Jews did return to Jerusalem (see Ezra-Nehemiah), many did not. The book of Esther is about a Jewish community living in Susa, the capital city of the ancient Persian empire. The main characters are two Jews, Mordecai and his niece Esther. Then there is the king of Persia and the Persian official Haman, the cunning villain. Esther is a curious book in the Bible because God is never mentioned, not once. This may strike you as odd because the Bible is supposed to be a book about God. However, this is a brilliant technique by the anonymous author. It’s an invitation to read the story looking for God’s activity, and there are signs of it everywhere. The story is full of odd coincidences and ironic reversals that force you to see God’s purpose at work behind every scene.”

One of the more powerfully poignant moments is captured here in chapter 4. Haman’s decree of “death to Jews” had gone out and word of it finally reached Esther. In this intense scene, Esther’s uncle, Mordecai pressures her to take a serious look at what will happen and providentially why Esther has been favored by God to serve in such a high position. It’s a real nail-biter for the reader.

Mordecai & Esther exchange secret letters through a trusted eunuch. It is a phrase that has captured our attention and become a life-lesson for so many since Mordecai wrote it! It may be “for such a time as this.” When we look upon thousands of stories of history and naturally try to see ourselves in similar circumstances, this phrase helps us to heroically rise above the doldrums of life and stare down our own threats of defeat or death and face the facts – maybe this entire scenario is exactly tailored for me to see the future of two very real possibilities. Will I be a person of faith or fear?

For Esther, the stakes were sky-high! Even in her uncle’s intense pressure to take the risk, he wisely writes, “if you keep quiet…” relief for the Jews will arise from some other place. But, YOU and YOUR relatives will die.” God will still make a way, so why not be the one he uses to bring about his will – saving and sparing us.

You’ll need to read the rest of the story for yourself, but let me remind ourselves – God looks for heroes every day! His grace, mercy and power is actively ready to be released through anyone that will be obedient and act on their faith to trust Him. How many “ for such a time as this” moments have we each let slip through our fear-filled fingers? Faith is brave. Faith is courageous. Faith is also dangerously daring! Where has God placed you? What Haman in your life, family or company has politically plotted against you? What opportunity has arisen for you to see something and say something that is right and true? Maybe the circumstances are not as dire as Esther’s, but to those who are being mistreated or suffering it could be just that right moment to save them.

Prayer

​Dad,
I don’t believe I have ever been in a situation so critical as Esther’s! However, I know there have been many times I have been presented with the choice to speak up or just go with what everyone else says is good. I feel compelled in those moments to be fully truthful and honest within myself to do what is right. I have often reflected on Mordecai’s words that those moments were providential NOT accidental! By your grace, and with your help, I will continue to yield to faith and obedience and do what is required of me. Amen.

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Rant against riches.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. ‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We come into chapter five of James letter to the “twelve tribes scattered abroad”, which is generally understood to be Jewish Christians who were dispersed outside of Israel. First of all, “twelve tribes?” I thought ten of them were lost. I wonder who and what was left?

James really seems to go on a rant against riches, but we need to dig a little deeper rather than just thinking James was an anti-money, anti-wealth guy. It really is a rant against injustice and abusing laborers. The poor, the working class have never had proper care nor any representation protecting them from being cheated and mistreated. This is an ancient problem that God hated! God hated it then, He hates it still today. When wealth is generated by abuse of power and at the expense of the poor, everyone suffers! This is far more than the minimum wage issues we continue to battle around the globe. It’s greed with no regard to others and God has always been against it.

In the Old Testament, God had his prophets constantly speaking out, warning the kings and religious leaders to use caution when it came to employment of the poor as well as buying and selling goods. God has always wanted the poor to have equal access to justice through the judges and condemned “fixing” the scales to favor the merchants, while at the same time giving discounts and advantages to the rich. Not only does the Law command justice, “Do not pervert justice” (Leviticus 19:15), the Law also commands mercy and care for the poor, “Make provision for the poor” (Leviticus 19:9-10) and “Help the poor among you” (Leviticus 25:35-36). Psalms and Proverbs both encourage watching out for, even protecting the poor, “Uphold the cause of the poor” (Psalm 82:3-4), “Be kind to the needy” (Proverbs 14:21). God makes sure that we understand that our care for justice towards the poor is directly connected to our attentiveness to God himself! “Oppressing the poor shows contempt for their Maker” (Proverbs 14:31) and “Kindness to the poor is like lending to God” (Proverbs 19:17).

This is why James delivers such a heated discussion to Jewish Christians, thus to all real followers of Jesus. Is James against storing up riches for just the ability to amass wealth? Of course he is! It is a waste of time and contrary to those who have the “gift of giving,” as Paul writes about (Romans 12:8 ). But it becomes even more egregious to acquire wealth by mistreating others, “For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies” (James‬ ‭5‬:‭4‬). Since money & wealth is worthless in heaven, Jesus (Matthew 6:19-20) and James advise us not store it up here on earth where it just decreases its value, while corroding our soul. Justice and generosity mimic and mirror the character of God.

Prayer

​Dad,
I was always neutral to negative about money when I was young. Sure, I wanted to earn money, and have money, but my heart just wasn’t into amassing or scheming to get it and keep it. I didn’t feel that I was good at “handling” money anyways, and saw it as too complicated. That all changed when I started seeing money as means to BE generous, to live generous. I would say you taught me to kind of “gamify” giving. It became a joy to figure out how to out-give you! Which, as you said, can’t be done! It was so freeing and fun. I no longer fear money, either having it or losing it. I now know it’s a wonderful tool, emulating You, in grace, mercy and love. Thank you for your generosity and favor to those who will give even as you have given? Amen.

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God is waiting – for what?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him— speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction. ‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Apostle Peter seems to just toss this brief, but powerful thought into his letter to the Church.

God gives the gift of time for people to be saved!

The context of these verses is Peter expanding on the “Day of the Lord.” An ominous reckoning of all time and space where people have been allowed to do as they please, making their eternal choices all through their life. This culmination, this final accounting, is coming, but not yet! What holds back God’s judgment, wrath and justice, even in these days, thousands of years later? God’s own long suffering, His patience so that none would suffer eternal destruction.

Earlier in the letter Peter writes, “”The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent,”(‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬). Patient for our sake? How awful for folks to throw their fist in God’s face and arrogantly defy his grace and mercy thinking that the finality of all things, the accounting, reconciliation of all deeds will not be judged! Why do they test God? Do they think this ancient document is too old, being written thousands of years ago?

Peter’s haunting words still ring true – “…in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again?” Peter warns the reader, you don’t understand two things: One: God is outside of time, He created it. To God, time is different. “A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day,” (2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬-‭4‬, ‭8‬). Two: This apparent pause of time is purely because of God’s patience! So God has delayed the final day, that “DAY of the Lord,” a few “days” just so that of our stubborn stone hearts might be softened, our concrete conscience might be broken. The Apostle Paul mentions similar in Romans 2:4, Romans 9:22 & 1 Timothy 1:16. What a warning for those who mock God even as He extends His grace to accommodate our foolishness!

God waits for people to turn to Him and come home!

Prayer

​Dad,
I have seen too much! I know too much to allow myself to take your grace, mercy and extended patience for granted. Even while I was opposed to You, You extended a chance at redemption, a life filled with so much joy and adventure. I grasped it by faith and I will never let go. I am extremely grateful You made yourself real to me, even as a teenager. So much of life was yet ahead and even though I was slow learner, I had time to grow and mature in my walk with you. I took advantage of your patience and was the beneficiary of a great life! I do not fear that “Day,” because I have been spared. My sin and shame have been wiped clean because of Jesus. Yet, I long for those who do not yet know you or have wasted their years trying to run from your grace. Thank you for your loving patience towards them as well. Amen.

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Walking-dead leaders.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

This message from the Lord was delivered to King Baasha by the prophet Jehu son of Hanani: “I lifted you out of the dust to make you ruler of my people Israel, but you have followed the evil example of Jeroboam. You have provoked my anger by causing my people Israel to sin. So now I will destroy you and your family, just as I destroyed the descendants of Jeroboam son of Nebat. The members of Baasha’s family who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by vultures.” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭16‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You may have known this, but I did not. Rehoboam (Solomon’s son) was set to become the next king. Another leader, Jeroboam, returned from Egypt and led a group of people to confront Rehoboam with a demand for a lighter tax burden. When Rehoboam refused the demand, ten of the tribes rejected Rehoboam and David’s dynasty, splitting the nation. The flashpoint of contention is found in 1 Kings 12:1-16, where Rehoboam seeks advice about taxation from his father’s leaders verses his own young, up-and coming ones. He went with his young leader’s advice and it was a disaster – 10 tribes walked out, becoming the collective nation called Israel. This passage of the history of the kings, identifies God’s response to evil leaders.

The saddest, hardest part, is that the kings of this division were the worst of the worst leaders, eventually causing the tribes to be completely wiped out and actually disappear from history. The kings mentioned in these chapters are called out for their sins and the responsibility of leading the entire nation to sin against God! Here they are – all 19 of them: Jeroboam, Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omari, Ahab, Ahaziah, Joram (Jehoram), Jehu, Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jeroboam II, Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, Hoshea.

Is a national leader powerful enough to lead millions of their citizens to sin against God? History proves that it did happen, and still happens today. Is God more angry when a leader leads people into rebellion against him? When does He wait for natural consequences to kick in? When does God step in out of mercy? These are difficult questions to reflect on when reading the Old Testament.

In our modern thirst for justice, we often fail to see the wrongs and injustice of leaders who hubristically lead people into sin, rebelling against God and His ways. What God gives us is not just right and true, but good and healthy for the nation and our world! What we mistake for freedoms FROM God’s rules is actually the most insidious of lies masquerading as truth. Even though our own ways are destructive and toxic, we buy it, believe it and follow it because of our own hardened, disordered desires that blind us. How do we discern what leader is the best for our own country?

Prayer

​Dad,
As I look at that landscape of history and see your hand at work, it makes me wonder about our nation’s current dilemma. Our own leadership as president, congress and supreme court seems to be an unmitigated disaster. It’s so very frustrating to watch the octogenarian principal players, mired in complicated oversight that has become the standard of governing this nation. We long for good leadership! We long for just, wholesome, honest and trustworthy leaders. No wonder the Church is divided politically, we still struggle to unite spiritually! God help us! We cry out to you to make things right. We pray that you would resolve the deep hurts and frustrations among the poor, broken and suffering. We repent of our selfish sins of arrogance, indifference and passivity of injustice masked as freedom. Forgive us. Save us from ourselves! Give us leaders who are wise and capable of a godly rule of true authority. Amen.

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Peace Planters

Reading Time: 2 minutes

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. ‭‭James‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

James, brother of Jesus and one of the early church leaders, writes to the churches about living a faith-filled and fruit-filled life. It is not just faith, it is obedient and visible works.

In just a few short thoughts, James captures the true essence of the word wisdom. Wisdom is evident in the behaviors of peacemakers and peace planters! James writes the attributes of wisdom, which was exemplified in his brother’s entire life. Jesus, the essence and personification of wisdom loved and lived peace.

Wisdom is first of all, pure (hagnos) holy and sacred.

▪️It is peaceful (eirénikos) whole and joined or tied together.
▪️ It is gentile (epieikés) equitable, yielding and reasonable.
▪️ It is yielding (eupeithes) compliant, pre-disposed to come to terms.
▪️ It is filled with mercy (eleos) pity and compassion and produces good fruit (karpos).
▪️ It is impartial (adiakritos) indistinguishable, without uncertainty about fairness.
▪️ And it is sincere (anupokritos) without hypocrisy, pretending, acting or faking truth.

What a list of behavioral attributes! This is not only what wisdom looks like, it is what a wise person acts like! Pure, peaceful, reasonable, compliant, merciful, compassionate, equitable and sincere behaviors. Think of what takes place in our country’s highest level of court justice. Think of what takes place in our country’s lowest level of street justice. Do we see wisdom? Do we see behaviors of peace?

James admonishes true followers of Jesus to not only think wisely, but behave wise. James inspires us to be peace planters, yielding beautiful fruits of wisdom! What am I sowing on Sundays as believers gather? How can I choose to seed peace rather than seethe hate at the insta or TikTok water cooler? How can the wisdom and peace of God be the antidote to the fast-spreading social viruses of anger, hate, disunity and violence? James is a big fan of behavior over simply belief!

Prayer

Dad,

Action is far louder than belief, behavior is far more effective for change than just my quiet thoughts on what I believe or how I feel. Your word, your wisdom, is actionable towards us. Your thoughts towards us are proven through your behavior towards us. Your love, mercy and peace have been demonstrated through Jesus! And my life can show proof of Jesus’ life and the eternal change in me through my behaviors of wisdom and peace. Thank you for rescuing me and calling me to be a peace planter!

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Tension between justice and mercy.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” Then he turned to his critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him. He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus. Mark‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I have written about the struggles with Jesus and the religious leaders before in other posts. The Jewish leaders, over centuries of silence from God, just continued to add layers of laws to God’s 10 and the additional societal/health codes God commanded the Israelites to live by to keep them safe and prosperous.

The Sabbath seemed to be one of the favorite laws to drill down on in a policy/procedure kind of way. Chabad.org list three categories: Basic Rules, Muktzeh Rules (forbidden objects to move), and Carrying Rules. There’s even a handy little chart for their 39 Melachos list – https://bit.ly/melachos. These and many others, became more than just impossible to fulfill, but they missed or drifted from God’s intent. God intended that His people rest! God still intends for us to rest.

The clash became a serious religious offense in Jesus’ day. And in the perfectionistic pursuit of the keeping their interpretation of God’s Law, they chose policy over personhood. Jesus made it abundantly clear about God’s intent – Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. The Sabbath serves the need for rest, but in that rest, humans were never to be held to serving that law. In the process of finding more legal minutiae, they lost the heart of God and to some degree, the heart of the Law. Namely mercy.

The religious system became so litigious, so loophole-crazy that it only served to pile on MORE work instead of relieving it! The result; harsh treatment for everyone, especially the poor, sick and needy. Isn’t that the way it goes? The deeper the detail of additional laws and the responsibility of keeping them, the more the socioeconomic/sociopolitical the whole system becomes. The rich either pay their way out or find a loophole around the law itself! The poor do not have the resources, time or ability to create their own loophole so they just continue to be lawbreakers.

Jesus cut right through all the ridiculous, add-ons of the original law – GET REST, and healed the suffering man with a withered hand! And remember, Jesus did not violate the Sabbath Law at any point! He only irritated the religious police/lawyers who were committed to bust lawbreakers with no thought to God’s intent, and no longer able to access the mercy of God. You can hear the religious leader’s defense, “I don’t make the laws, I only keep them!” Sound familiar?

As humans, we still do the same thing that the Pharisees did. We look for breaches in the law, try to fix it with policy-patches and then feel justified in arresting or fining the lawbreaker. The tragedy is that these men, who supposedly worked for God, knew nothing about their boss’s true nature and intent. And they lived a life without mercy. Justice and mercy will always be in tension and God is the only one who can truly have both!

Prayer

Dad,
Where would I be without your mercy? I would collapse under the weight of my own sin, my own deterministic decisions. I deserve the consequences of my behaviors, yet you have provided the way of forgiveness and erased my debt. How can I not, in turn, see others through eyes of mercy, and forgive them as well? Thank you for a fresh deposit of your mercy each morning. Amen.

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Elegant clarity of God’s Law.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭19‬:‭7‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

King David, one of the favorite patriarchs and most beloved leaders of Israel writes this extraordinary Psalm. David’s personal life was filled with drama, trauma, failures and beauty. David was a prolific songwriter and psalmist. His humble beginnings, heroic acts, desperate evasions running from Saul, rise to power, despicable behavior as the highest authority in the land and highly dysfunctional household all make for an honest story to tell in the book of Psalms.

This psalm was inserted at the end of David’s life, so there is no real way to determine when it was written. Maybe when David was young and hungry for nothing but God’s presence. Or, maybe looking back at God’s faithfulness, even though David’s life may appear to be a disaster. Either way, this psalm captures the elegant clarity and resilience of God’s Law.

These words like perfect, trustworthy, joyous, clear, pure, true and fair are abundantly descriptive of God Himself and reflected in God’s Law. These words immediately make me feel defensive of God when He is wrongly blamed for being evil, blind, slow, unjust or unmerciful! Since God is perfect, it surprises me that we, as warped, broken human beings can’t see that maybe, just maybe, all the atrocities we blame God for are actually not from Him at all. I know that causes us to scream, then “why does God allow evil to prevail?”

Let me ask another question that is much more complex, “why does God let us choose anything?” “Why does God give us free will?” For God to rid the world of evil, wouldn’t that also mean ridding the world of YOU, or ME… and our choices! We are really addicted, obsessed and fixated on our own free will. We love our choices to do what we want, when we want and do not want anyone telling us differently. Anyone ever think that evil and awful atrocities have something to do with US and not God? We are quick to say, “they shouldn’t be allowed to __.” But we think twice about someone stopping us from doing what we want. Choices! We have them and we do whatever like. Why doesn’t God just stop the really bad things from happening? Hmmm, what would those “really bad” things be? Murder? Mayhem? War? Infanticide? Genocide? Cruelty? Racism? The list goes on.

At some point we should see the problem with eliminating some choices, but allowing others. And that’s just with humanity alone. This doesn’t even account for a real, living entity called Satan, the rebellious angel that hates humans and wants to destroy every single one of us! What about that? What about Satan’s free choices? Should he be allowed to do whatever he wants?

Back to God’s law and His perfection. Looking at God’s way, His rules, my hope is that we can see that God is good and His love for us is good as well. When I can’t see the “why” behind a tragedy, a diagnosis, or an atrocity – I can still trust that God is good and absolutely knows the person, circumstances and struggles behind each situation. God is eternal, and wise – our perspective is so limited and our understanding of all things is bound by those limitations. My trust in Him is resolute, no matter what I see or feel.

Prayer

​Dad,
I am so limited on what I know, see and feel. My trust in you, however, secure. I have seen your work and will among us for much of my life and I am convinced that you are exactly what this broken king David said you are – perfect. And your law, rules and ways are perfect as well. Thank you for continued mercy and patience with me and all of us who wait for sin to be no more and justice to prevail over all things.

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The human experiment.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

This truth was given to me in secret, as though whispered in my ear. It came to me in a disturbing vision at night, when people are in a deep sleep. Fear gripped me, and my bones trembled. A spirit swept past my face, and my hair stood on end. The spirit stopped, but I couldn’t see its shape. There was a form before my eyes. In the silence I heard a voice say, ‘Can a mortal be innocent before God? Can anyone be pure before the Creator?’ ‭‭Job‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬-‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Job, the oldest book written in the Bible is full of mystery and presents moral, theological dilemmas that are still wrestled with, even in modern times. Job was written 400 years before the Torah, the first five books of the Law. Job predates the law, and mentions nothing about the eventual covenant with God, the laws of God nor the sacrificial system that God directs Israel to live by.

It is interesting that the first verses in Job chapter one set the stage for us to know that Job was a good guy, a righteous guy. He even offered sacrifices to God for his children, “just in case they sinned against God.” He feared God, loved God and lived a good life! Then, seemingly out nowhere there is a meeting, a checkin with the angels. What follows is a conversation with God and the fallen angel, called the adversary.

God asks Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth.“ Satan replies, yeah, he’s only good because God has blessed him and protected him. Satan challenges God by saying, “take away his stuff and he’ll curse you.” God takes Satan up on the challenge and allows Satan to take Job’s “belongings” away from him. Belongings include his family! The scene repeats, but this time Satan challenges God by asking for permission to make Job’s physical life miserable – horrible diseases, but not allowing to take his life. Job knows nothing about the test, nor God’s faith in him to endure suffering without blaming God.

Job’s friends heard about Job’s suffering and made their way to him. At first the friends do the right thing by Job, they just sit with him and say nothing! “Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.“ But soon, they just could not take. Not understanding WHY this is happening to Job, they offer their advice.

Eliphaz, possibly the eldest in the group, appears as the representative of the wisdom of the Edomites. Trying to be helpful, he shares about a vision he had. And from this vision, he concludes that there is a good and godly reason for Job’s suffering. Job has obviously sinned! Here’s the creepy part. Eliphaz gives his advice, his wisdom from a “whispering spirit,” that gave him chills in the night asking an accusatory question! Just a well placed question created a logical conclusion for this wise man. The question, “Can a mortal be innocent before God?” I don’t know about you, but this whole “truth” given in “secret” coming in a vision in the night sounds just like SATAN! Whispers, secrets and accusations? Come on. Eliphaz isn’t getting his answers from God, nor whatever experience he has had by walking with God on this fallen planet. His advice has been supplanted in his heart by the sneaky spirit of the dark!

All three of Job’s friends want to help Job, want to console him, and comfort him, but they all go down the same thought- path. Obviously Job has sinned and must repent. Obviously God is judging him and swift justice comes to those who do wrong. In their minds there is no other reason for a human being to suffer! Job’s friends seem unaware that as humans we live on a fallen planet, Satan’s domain.

Let’s answer the spirit-whispered accusation presented to Eliphaz. Can we be innocent before God? No, we’ve sinned, we are not innocent. But does that mean that we face the immediate judgement, the wrath and justice of God by being stripped of all possessions and daily physically tortured for our sin? No, we do not. Who is the one who brought the calamity and destruction into Job’s life? Satan! The good suffer, the bad succeed. The good succeed, the bad suffer. We cannot determine judgement nor eternity based on our comparison of possessions, position or power! Satan challenged God’s wisdom by trying to prove that humans are only capable of loving God back because of blessing! The experiment, give humans free will, a choice, give them autonomy and self determination – they will not choose God, they will always choose evil. The ancient challenge was that humans would not be able to love God in a world filled with evil and the ability to chase after their own lusts and desires leading to their demise and eventual destruction.

The human experience on the dark planet would seem to be a doomed experiment. Job was not perfect. Yet, without knowing anything about the test he was participating in, he passed. He did not blame God nor curse God for his suffering! God believes in us. God risks that love, mercy, grace and forgiveness will save our lives. God’s plan of redemption from our sin through the sacrifice of His own Son proves that we can and will be capable of loving Him in spite of an adversary and accuser. That we are able to love Him in spite of our brokenness and disordered desires. Our faith, like Job’s, like Abraham’s, is counted as righteousness! We are saved by grace, not of our works. We love because we know God’s goodness. We fear God out of honor and respect, not just because He can obliterate us back to the dust from which we came.

Prayer

Dad,
We were created out of dust, and to dust our bodies will return. But you infused Your Spirit within us. It is that spirit that will choose to love you. That spirit that will live forever. Thank you for loving us first. Thank you for this amazing life in this beautiful world. It is filled with wonder and wickedness, yet I know your plans for me and they are good. I choose you because you first chose me.