God Hates Injustice

Toward a New Creation
Judgment and Salvation

Ignoring God's Plain Truth

Hebrews 11:1-6  The Message

Isaiah 59:12-19  The Message

^12-15 Our wrongdoings pile up before you, God,
    our sins stand up and accuse us.
Our wrongdoings stare us down;
    we know in detail what we’ve done:
Mocking and denying God,
    not following our God,
Spreading false rumors, inciting sedition,
    pregnant with lies, muttering malice.
Justice is beaten back,
    Righteousness is banished to the sidelines,
Truth staggers down the street,
    Honesty is nowhere to be found,
Good is missing in action.
    Anyone renouncing evil is beaten and robbed.

^15-19 God looked and saw evil looming on the horizon—
    so much evil and no sign of Justice.
He couldn’t believe what he saw:
    not a soul around to correct this awful situation.
So he did it himself, took on the work of Salvation,
    fueled by his own Righteousness.
He dressed in Righteousness, put it on like a suit of armor,
    with Salvation on his head like a helmet,
Put on Judgment like an overcoat,
    and threw a cloak of Passion across his shoulders.
He’ll make everyone pay for what they’ve done:
    fury for his foes, just deserts for his enemies.
    Even the far-off islands will get paid off in full.
In the west they’ll fear the name of God,
    in the east they’ll fear the glory of God,
For he’ll arrive like a river in flood stage,
    whipped to a torrent by the wind of God.

For Reflection

We somehow find it a character weakness to lament.  We call it pouting, whining, or an invitation to be pitied.  Yet, it is in our pain we discover that which is most important to us.  When we are the object of injustice we realize how important it is to act justly.  When we are the target of false witiness we realize how important it is to be truthful.  When in prayer we lament and bring our deepest most personal reaction to life as it seems to be, we reveal the depth of our relationship to God and the extent to which we trust God to comfort us.  God will respond to our lamentations and through Christ, set things right.

Pray

Bring everything to God in Prayer.  Express your emotional reaction to this world. Pray for justice to reign.