Sunday, October 20
Day 7
But let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. – Jeremiah 9:24
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. – 1 Peter 2:21-23
God is Just
“No fair!” Anyone who has spent time around a kid has probably heard this phrase uttered once or twice. Children have an innate sense of fairness, especially when it comes to what they get in relation to someone else. Adults are similar, although our focus on fairness has (mostly) shifted from the size of a dessert or who gets to go first, to areas of social justice. Someone must decide what is right and fair, though, for justice to be enacted.
In the Bible, God is described as just, which is closely related to the word righteous. Righteousness is based on God’s standard of right and wrong, which is good news for us, as we are imperfect people who don’t always define right-ness the right way. We serve a perfect God with a perfect track record, and He loves justice, as we see in Jeremiah 9:24. The only problem is, we sometimes have a hard time reconciling our view of fairness with what we see God allowing in the world.
When things don’t seem fair, we have two choices: speak up or accept it. There are loads of examples in the Bible of God’s people being called to speak up or act on behalf of those who are marginalized. Today, we can demonstrate this by caring for those who are less fortunate, getting to know people who are not like us, and using our resources (time, talent, and treasure) for the good of others.
But what about when the unfairness is directed toward us? This requires discernment that comes from the Holy Spirit. There are times when we should speak up or act to protect ourselves or to right a wrong. But there are other times when we are called to suffer through an injustice. The only way we can accept injustice is if we trust in God as the good and perfect judge. We can recall 1 Peter 2:21-23 when there are wrongs that cannot be made right in our imperfect world. God will judge justly, and he will make everything right in His time.
Prayer:
God, help me to put my trust in you when things are unfair. Give me discernment to know when you are prompting me to speak up or act, whether for myself or for someone else. Put a burden on my heart for the things that break yours, and comfort me when I must suffer through an injustice myself. God, let my response to this broken world look and sound like yours, and may you be glorified in it! Amen.
Pray For Our Church: Take some time to pray for Pathway today—the people who make up our church, the staff, the ministries, etc. Ask God to work in and through us.
Pray For Our City: Pray for the people of our community and ask God to be at work in our hometown.
Pray For Our Nation: Pray for our nation—its people and its leaders. Boldly and specifically make your requests, then submit those desires to God’s will. Express your trust in Him.
Reflect:
- How have you seen God’s faithfulness and his promises lived out today?
- Write 2-3 points of gratitude and thank Jesus for these things.
- Spend time praising God for who he is, what he has done, where he is at work, and what he has promised.
By Sally Stitzer
Sally is a mom of two girls, wife to Doug, and a Pathway attender for almost 10 years. She runs a leadership development and consulting company called Radix Advantage. In her spare time, Sally enjoys spending time with friends and family, being outside, reading, and baking.