Today's Reading: "And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment--wickedness was there, in the place of justice--wickedness was there. " (Ecclesiastes 3:16)
I don't believe there is a person alive who has not suffered injustice, or wondered at the prosperity of the wicked! Jeremiah 12:1-2; Proverbs 24:1-2; 17-20; 29 may be answering your cries for justice.
Read Jeremiah 12:3. Here, the prophet is not seeking his own revenge, but calling on God to avenge him. Admittedly, it seems even more paradoxical that Jesus goes on to command His followers to pray for those who mistreat and misuse them (Luke 6:28)! True, more often than not, it appears as if the wicked "gets away" with their evil plots against us. Jeremiah 12:4 tells us that even our land, our country suffers because of sin and ungodliness.
However, throughout God's word, we are reminded never, ever to retailiate against evil (see also Romans 12:19). Rather, we are to be still and leave judgment solely up to God. We are told never to fret over the wicked, those have wronged us, plotted against us, those who wrongly prosper and/or succeed in this world. Why? Out of godly compassion for the lost! We should be ever mindful that one day God's mercy will end, (yes, He has mercy for the wicked) and those who have worked evil and wickedness will reap what they have sown (Galatians 6:7)!
One day there will be a reckoning! God's wrath will and is surely coming (Revelation 6:9-7)! (As His children we can take heart in 1 Thessalonians 5:9!) The tables will be turned, and as Proverbs 24:20 says, they (the wicked) have no future hope. Their lamp will be snuffed out! Considering this truth, I'm hope you can understand why we must pray for those who have wronged us, because, unless they repent, they are forever doomed to eternal separation from their Creator God!
In Jeremiah 12:5 and Proverbs 24:5-7, 10 God sees our troubles, our injustices as "little troubles". That sounds insensitive, but our God "sees" the bigger picture--and He "sees" it in light of eternity! Surely we can endure these "light and momentary" troubles since we know we have a grand and glorious eternity awaiting us!
Oh, child of God, build up your holy faith (Jude 1:20) and put on the full armour of God (Ephesians 6:11-18)! God is working out His plan in and through each of us, but the sad truth is that sometimes our difficult situations, our injustices come in order to bring us back to our first love, Jesus Christ. When suffering and trials come, we first need to seek His face to be sure we are in a right relationship with Him. If we make Him our desire, everything else will work out for our good! (Psalms 27:4-8.)
Proverbs 24, speaks of a great hope for us. Verses 11-12 speak of a mission, a purpose--and in verse 14 God reassures us that there is a future hope and we will not be cut off. Praise God, even though we stumble, or we are made to stumble--we will rise again (verse 16.)
Finally, in verse 27 God encourages us in what He has called us to do (only you know your personal calling). Remember what happened to Jonah when he ran from his calling and what he believed was injustice! Take time to read Proverbs 24:5-6. You may be in a spiritual battle! Seek God and serve Him only. Only He can make beauty out of your ashes (Isaiah 61:3.)
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