Can Glory Be Revealed in Justice?
October 28, 2023
Can Glory Be Revealed in Justice?
By Brooke Holt
“The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!” Psalm 99:4-5
Due to some challenging circumstances in my life, I am quite concerned with justice. It pains me when I feel people do not receive justice or when justice is ignored. Far too often, I can be oversensitive to justice issues. As Christians in this world, we cling to the knowledge that one day God will bring full justice to his people. The wrongs will be righted, and people will be brought to repentance or at least an understanding of what they have done.
We hold that hope when justice is not served in our world. God is a God of justice. He cares about what happens in this world. He cares for those who have been hurt by the sin and malice of others.
The psalmist here wants you to comprehend that God’s glory is manifested in his love of justice. Justice and equity flow from the sovereign nature of God. While God is all-powerful, he is also concerned with the widows, the orphans, those who have been abused and mistreated, and those whom the justice system has failed. He sees everything that has been done to you, every hurt, every misdeed, every lie brought against you. He sees, he knows, and he will set things right in his way and his time.
It often seems evil wins in this world, but the King has a plan, and he will execute his justice either in this world or in the world to come. It is God’s mercy, love, and goodness that drive his heart for justice and equity. Those are aspects of his glory just as his holiness and power are.
When you are hurting, God is there. He stands ready to hear you, to sympathize with you, and to work on your behalf. It may not happen in your time or way. Stories such as Joseph are biblical reminders of God’s timing not aligning with ours (see Genesis 45:4-15). Nevertheless, God cares about the major and minor offenses. He misses nothing. You can trust him to stand with you and for you and to ultimately make all things right.
God longs for you to understand and trust that he will execute justice, an attribute of his glory, in the fullness of his time. Work with him to bring justice to this world, and when it seems justice has failed, trust him to redeem it.
Reflection:
Do you know and believe God truly cares about justice in this world? How might his care and concern comfort or encourage you today? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Recommended Resources:
Christmas is the festival of rejoicing at Christ’s first coming—the beautiful, unlikely start of our salvation! As the season ends each year, we pack up the decorations. Advent, on the other hand, is a bigger celebration—one we can’t box up and store in the attic. It celebrates the grace of Christ’s first coming, and then it reaches with restless anticipation for the fuller grace of his second appearing and the completion of our salvation! For 28 days, celebrate Advent. In Prepare the Way, join with St. Paul, King David the Psalmist, Zechariah, Gabriel, Mary, Elizabeth, and John the Baptist, along with the crowds as they rejoiced in the good news of Christmas, and then look beyond it for the holiday that never ends!
See all of our Advent Studies here.
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