injustice – Be Still…

Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 – Justice for All

Read Ecclesiastes 3:16-22

There is a line in this passage that should be a wake-up call for many. It reads, “In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds.” Granted, Solomon was lamenting over corrupt courts, among other things. But his statement rings with truth. Nobody is exempt from God’s justice. We don’t have to worry about all the injustices we see in this world because we know they ultimately don’t matter. God is going to take care of things.

I’ve noted before the tragedy Solomon faced because he didn’t know about the Messiah Jesus. He doesn’t have the hope for eternity we do that keeps us going when we see injustice and abuse of power all around us. We may still find it difficult to truly embrace how God’s power is always in control.

Lamentations 1:1-22 – Jerusalem Mourns

Read Lamentations 1:1-22

In our last reading, Nehemiah was beside himself wanting his fellow Israelites to get it right this time so they’d avoid God’s discipline. Our first reading in Lamentations opens with a flashback to Jerusalem’s desolate days. Nehemiah’s desperation seems to have real merit in light of this reminder of Jerusalem’s dark days.

The prophet Jeremiah is the believed author of the book of Lamentations. Jeremiah’s five lamentations focus on the fall of Jerusalem which God orchestrated when his people were taken into the bondage of exile. You may recall Jeremiah was alive at the time his prophecies were coming true. Jeremiah’s grief ran deep, and this is a poignant book full of emotion.

Deuteronomy 16:18-22 – Justice for All

Read Deuteronomy 16:18-22

What is justice? Having worked for lawyers most of my life, I was surrounded by justice, or at least seeking it for our clients. The opposite is “injustice” or an abuse of power. I have seen plenty of examples of injustice during my years in the legal field. There are also many examples in our world. When we see unfairness in wages, for example, you might say there is an abuse of power at work; and it’s an injustice.

To have justice then, we need to balance the power. God intends good for us. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” It isn’t in God’s plan for us to suffer, be in want, feel unloved, be abused, be poor, be alone, etc. When someone swoops in and steals our joy or abuses their power to hurt us, that is injustice. To God, that is sinful.