Day 299
Jeremiah 49:23-50:46; Titus 1:1-16; Psalm 97:1-98:9; Proverbs 26:13-16
A Just God
In Psalms 97 and 98, we read of justice and righteousness. This makes me want to pause. God is a just God, and we, who are His people, are often neither just nor righteous. The justice that is spoken of in these Psalms is more than honesty or fairness. This justice is an active intervention on behalf of the poor and the helpless. Our own judicial system appears to fall far short of the biblical definition of justice.
Biblical justice speaks of restoration and vindication, seeking to restore balance to a situation that has become imbalanced through the excesses of one party or another. Vindication does happen for some. It appears that restoration is more difficult to come by. Once a serious wrong is done, our lives are forever changed. To restore, in this case, may mean to make the situation better with God’s help and wisdom. This blessed restoration can cause us to be wiser and more patient.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” – Matthew 5:6
The Rev. Patricia Acker