I mess up.
There are times when I blow it and do not act the way I know God would have me to act. It seems I reflect Paul's struggle in Romans 7. It is times like this I have to call out for God's mercy and forgiveness.
I recognize my need for God's mercy. Without it I would be dead...literally! I want God, and others for that matter, to forgive me when I have done wrong.
Honestly...I don't always want God to extend that same grace to others.
I am ashamed to admit, I wish at times God would do a bit more smiting! I want vindication for those who are victims. I want the guilty party to receive the justice they deserve. Drop the hammer...or at least a lightening bolt or three!
Frankly, it boils down to justice for others and mercy for me!
I am reminded of Matthew 7:1-3 which says, "“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?"
Why is it that I want to hold others to a higher standard than I hold myself? Why do I want to hold the sins of others against them?
More to the point...who am I to play God?
It's a struggle.
I see lots of "guilty" people in my line of work. Drug addicts, abusers, sinners...yet they are all where I was once...lost.
My prayer is that each finds the same measure of mercy through the work of Jesus Christ that I did.
Forgiven...a name we all need.
3 comments:
Amen.... I am also one of those sinners that is covered by the blood of Jesus. Thank you for such an uplifting message. God bless, Lloyd
Hey Rick. Nice seeing you again today!
Good post. I've felt the same way: Now that I'm "in," I want it to be harder for others to get "in" too. Wanna keep the riffraff out and all, you know. Pretty pathetic, isn't it? ...Especially considering how apart from Christ -- when we were dead in our sins -- we looked a lot worse to God than riffraff!
One nuance to what you wrote: You begin by speaking of God's justice, contrasting it to His mercy. Then you switch to speaking of His judgement. I know this goes beyond the point of your post, but I see justice and judgement as two different things, whereas I perceive you using the terms interchangeably.
Judgement carries with it the connotations of punishment or even condemnation. Justice, on the other hand, is seen in a much more favourable light in Scripture. As I read just yesterday in a booklet entitled "From the Heart of God," in Scripture "justice is portrayed as refreshing rain or a river that makes life flourish. God loves justice (cf. Isa 61) because He created a good world and wants His creatures to be all they can be. That's the biblical picture of justice... It is a way of living... Scripture calls us to be God's agents of justice in a world that badly needs it..." In addition to Isa 61, other texts that connect with this include Pss 106:3; 112:5; and, of course, the famous Mic 6:6-8 passage.
Maybe some food for thought for a future post... by either of us!
Peace,
Stan
@Lloyd....thanks man.
@4thpoint. Good to see you too! Justice may be seen in a favorable light but when in a court setting some people want justice in the form of a judgment that may cause the other person pain!
Post a Comment