Usually by Wednesday night I have plenty on my mind. I’m going to start writing on Wednesday nights to get something on my mind, well, off my mind. For the first one tonight: God’s Justice.
The main question I have as a Christian is this: how much do I thirst for justice in this world for criminals, enemies of God, etc.?
I am often intrigued by crime shows, more often than not disgusted by evil people who commit horrific crimes and refuse to show remorse, and always heart broken. First, I am glad for justice systems. Lots of times great detectives pin crimes on despicable human beings. Juries return just verdicts. Recently in our area, a gunman who killed several people was killed by police. These are all pictures of God’s justice, those guilty paying proper penalties.
But these aren’t the most important pictures of God’s justice. First off, the above mentioned systems do fail. Innocent people go to jail, even die in execution. It happens. Thus, I don’t thirst first and foremost for earthly justice. It’s flawed. Personally, my first concern for every human being is God’s ultimate, eternal justice. Hardened criminals, housewives, pastors, day laborers, delivery drivers, everyone under the sun past, present and future have God’s true justice at their disposal.
I am truly heartbroken by the most vile offenders. I am convinced that biblically I am required to be. Murderers, child offenders, terrorists, anyone else who makes your list of people who make your skin crawl, all fit into this verse: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Re-hashed many times the world over, some may even tire of hearing this verse. But there is no qualification in the verse, nor a set list of types of people who can’t be transformed by God’s love.
Simply: we’re all sinners, and I thirst most for God to redeem those He will redeem. I long for people to know Jesus, the true transforming power of His blood, and NOT just those I think to be worthy of it. Second, I thirst for those who commit crimes to receive their just due, knowing the system that metes that justice can fail. I pray for justice this side of eternity. I trust only though in the one who will have the ultimate say of what is eternally just – the Lord Jesus Christ.