Cabin Devotion with Miss Sarah

Justice

If you have been following along the news lately, it is likely you have heard the word justice or social justice. Our country depicts justice as a woman holding a pair of scales and being blindfolded. This image portrays the belief that justice is conducted fairly and unbiased. However, because of the broken world we live in, this idea has not truly been achieved. We see wrongful convictions, corrupt court scenes, and unfair sentences and wonder when will true and fair justice become a reality.

The good news is that God is a just god and His kingdom is and will be just. We tend to overlook this important attribute of God. He is more often portrayed as a loving, merciful, and faithful father. While these are all characteristics of God, He is also just. This means that unlike the statue of justice, who is blindfolded, God sees and knows everything that happens. He does not need witnesses or testimonials to help sway the judge’s decision. He is the Judge and He knows not only our every action but also our inner thoughts and desires (Psalm 33:13-15). God judges us based on our hearts, not by our outward appearance or by what others tell Him. When we judge others, we are prone to judge what they seem to be to us and what we hear about them. Unlike our court system, He never over or under punishes because His discipline and wrath are fair. Everyone will eventually receive true justice. God, in His holiness, is just because He hates sin, a heart that has rebelled (Psalm 5:4-6). Creation listens to God (Psalm 33:9) yet we do not and instead decide to fulfill every desire we want to. We put our trust in worldly possessions. Our hearts have turned away from God and for this reason, God must judge us accordingly. However, God sent Jesus to take our sin and the punishment we deserved, so that we may become His children and live with Him in eternity.

Because God is just, His reign is also just. However, because His kingdom has not fully come back yet, we do not see His justice in our world. When His kingdom does come back, the government will rest upon Jesus’ shoulders (Isaiah 9:6-7). This government will be filled with righteousness and justice (Psalm 89:14). In the Bible, justice means advocating for those who are hurting in society. In God’s kingdom, there will no longer be discrimination, oppression, and brutality. The list could go on and on! Enemies will be vanquished and the ultimate enemy, death, will be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:24-26). Everything that we have longed for will be fulfilled. What a beautiful picture of God’s future kingdom!

Action

Act Justly: God is just, and we can be too. While we wait for God’s kingdom, God calls us to act justly towards those around us. God says that He is a, “Father to the fatherless and protector of widows” (Psalm 68:4-5). Orphans and widows were the most oppressed, exploited, and forgotten about people during ancient times. God reaches out to those who are overlooked, and we are called to do the same. Every human is created in the image of God and we must ensure that they are treated as such.

Pray: I encourage you to ask God what acting justly looks like for you. Jesus immersed himself in crowds of people who needed physical but also spiritual healing. Like Jesus, we should be near those who require justice. Volunteering at food pantries, soup kitchens, after-school programs, and at-risk youth centers are just some ways we can begin acting justly.

Read your Bible: Reading our Bibles allows us to understand who God is and give Him the reverence and awe He deserves. Additionally, we must put our trust in the true kingdom, not in worldly governments. God is who we must seek first, like our theme verse for this summer states. When we are listening to God, we will not listen to how the world tells us what to think. Reading our Bibles is so important and will help us see how we can act justly as Jesus did.

Love,

Miss Sarah

Verse References:

“The Lord looks down from heaven; he observes everyone. He gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth from his dwelling place. He forms the hearts of them all; He considers all their works”

Psalm 33:13-15

“For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil cannot dwell with you. The boastful cannot stand in your sight; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who tell lies; the Lord abhors violent and treacherous people.” Psalm 5:4-6

“For He spoke, and it came into being; He commanded, and it came into existence” Psalm 33:9

“For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:6-7

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; faithful love and truth go before you.” Psalm 89:14

“Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he abolishes all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign until he puts all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be abolished is death.” 1 Corinthians 15:24-26