What Injustice

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What Injustice

We all want justice done  when we are being wronged.     It’s seems only right  to have things done fairly.     We want  to see criminals,  perverts,  and swindlers  get the just penalty they deserve.     In our sense of righteousness,  we want to uphold everything  that is right,  just,  and lawful.    That’s just the way  we should be.

God feels the same way.     God had blessed Israel  with all sorts of good things  —  everything from riches  to houses  to good times of rest  and relaxation.     But,  instead of enjoying all  of God’s blessings  with thanksgiving and praise,  Israel started worshiping idols,  cheating,  stealing,  committing adultery,  abusing the poor,  trusting their riches  more than God,  etc.

That’s when God had to ask His question  in Jeremiah 2:5,

What injustice did your fathers find  in Me,   
That they went far  from Me   
And walked after emptiness  and became empty?

God wanted Israel to be just,  and right,  and true.     They had no valid reason  for turning away  from the LORD  —  especially after all the blessings  they had received  from Him.     The Israelites knew God Almighty had done no injustice  —  God had not wronged them  in any way.     They faced the normal challenges  of living  on this earth,  but all of those challenges  could be surmounted  by turning to the LORD  for all of their needs.

In God’s question,  He points out  that the Israelites proceeded  to walk after “emptiness and become empty”.     What was God saying?      An idol is an “empty” thing  because it is incapable  of being a real “god”.     It’s just a hunk of wood,  metal,  or rock  with a mythological story  connected to it.     It cannot hear our prayers  or answer them.     So,  people who insist  on following idols  become “empty” in their hearts  and souls.

Cheating,  stealing,  committing adultery,  abusing the poor,  trusting in riches,  etc.  are all “emptiness”.      Every single sin  that we can think of  only leads us  to “become empty”.     If we insist running after  all these empty things,  we are hurting  only ourselves.    In Jeremiah,  God talks  about how He had to let enemies overtake Israel  to punish them  and try to get them back  to their senses.     So,  God asks the Israelites  in Jeremiah 2:17,

Have you not  done this  to yourself,   
By your forsaking the LORD  your God,   
When He led you  in the way?

All our lives  God is trying  to lead us  in the right way  —  the way of eternal life.     But,  we are so ding-dong stubborn  in our sinful ways.     We simply  love our sins.     We bring on  our own punishments.     God has not done anything  to wrong us  or give us a valid reason  for loving our sin.     Nevertheless,  we “walk after emptiness and become empty”.     We are not doing ourselves  any good.     There are no lasting  benefits  to our sinfulness.

On Judgment Day  our pride will be seen  as nothing  but foolishness.     The booty we’ve gained  from cheating and stealing  cannot be kept.     Sexual exploits  will only bring us  eternal ruin.    Harming other people  with slander,  gossip,  and unethical behaviors  will only bring punishments down  on our heads.

So,  what is the value  of all this foolery?     Why go after emptiness?     What in the world  are we trying to do  to ourselves?

We are the ones being unjust  and unfair  to the LORD God Almighty  —  and for no sensible reason at all.     So,  when God asks us,  “What injustice did you find in Me?”  —  what will we reply?     Will we say something like, “Well,  you didn’t give me enough money,  goods,  sexual satisfaction,  power over other people,  higher leadership roles, …….”       Those are all lame excuses  and we know it.

The whole point is  we need to be just  and reasonable now,  while we have a chance.     We want other people  to act justly  and rightly with us  —  let us be just and right  with our LORD.     We have no reason  to not…….

…love the LORD your God  with all your heart  and with all your soul  and with all your might.   (Deuteronomy 6:5)

As we think  about all the greatness  of our Creator and Redeemer,  and all that He does for us  day after day,  we say,  “Hallelujah!     Lord,  thank You  for being so forgiving,  patient,  kind,  and loving.     Thank You  for willingly pursuing our salvation  in Jesus Christ.     May we give thanksgiving and praise  to You forever  in heaven.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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