Devo 9: The God of Justice

Justice is something I always find myself wrestling with—especially after being in the Call Institute, where they always talk about justice, and also being at the House of Prayer, where one of our main verses is, “And will God not avenge His own elect, who cry out to Him night and day?” (Luke 18:7)

I find myself constantly wrestling with the mercy and justice of God. How can they go together? Do they totally contradict one another or are they the same thing? I always want to cry out for mercy rather than justice, and occasionally I cringe when I hear people cry out for justice. Sometimes, I think something is wrong with me, because I just can’t figure it out.

But wait—no wonder I can’t figure the thing out. The way God brought justice to the earth was by an innocent man getting punishment He didn’t deserve for people to get eternal life they didn’t deserve….no wonder I’m struggling.

Paul said that “the message of the cross is foolishness to those that are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God” (I Cor. 1:18); he also said, “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty” (I Cor. 1:27). It was by this seemingly unjust act that justice was brought to the earth.

So, my struggle with justice continues. How can I understand this thing? Well, the Lord has made it very personal now. A month or two ago, I was sitting in the prayer room and suddenly, all the memories of how I had been wronged began to flood my thoughts. I was overwhelmed as instance after instance flooded my mind.

Although I knew part of it was healing, I also knew the Lord was teaching me something. Sobbing in the pain of it all, I asked the Lord what was happening. Memory after memory flashed before my mind, and as it did, the Lord would say, “And this is why you need the God of Justice…” I sobbed and sobbed as I realized that the Lord is a righteous Judge who will come to judge the world and make the wrong things right.

Yes, Jesus took on the sin of mankind and paid the penalty; yet, for all those who do not accept His sacrifice, they will pay with eternal judgment and accept the wrath of God upon themselves. They will suffer death because of the wrong they have done.

In the last few days, the Lord has been bringing up these issues again and the pain has almost been unbearable. I have felt almost crippled as every memory and issue has flooded my mind. This is the reason I haven’t written the last week or two--I knew He wanted me to write on this topic and I have been struggling with it so much.

We sing a song at the House of Prayer that says, “Take away everything that keeps me from loving you” and all of these things coming to the surface are keeping me from fully accepting His love toward me. So, He is taking them away. Yet, it is more than that. He is teaching me about justice, and why judgment must come. He is teaching me the pain in He feels in His heart He every time someone is abused, forsaken, wronged, and rejected.

I was curled up between the chairs yesterday crying and I asked the Lord, “What can I do? Is there some place in scripture where I can find some kind of comfort—some parable, story, the throne of God, what? Immediately, the verse began to play in my head—“And will God not avenge His elect who cry out night and day…”

That was almost more than my heart could bear. Why do people have to die because of wrongs committed against me and others? It doesn’t seem right; yet neither does the death of an innocent man in exchange for sinners.

Right now, I am overwhelmed with the tangible pain on the surface of my heart; yet I feel the presence of the Lord. He truly comes to a broken and contrite spirit, and He has come to deliver the poor and oppressed.

Why am I sharing this with you? Well, there is a Wonderful Counselor, who is also a Judge—not just any judge, but one who became a man to identify with men (John 5). He took on the injustice of the world for all those who believe, and He will come to judge all those who reject His sacrifice..

He has seen all the times you have been wronged, and He will avenge His elect who cry out to Him night and day. So, when that pain is right on the surface of your heart, cry out to Him, and let Him see that pain. He will make the wrong things right, and you do need the God of Justice.

Blessings,

Amanda

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