​Lately you can feel it in the very atmosphere - the weight, the tension, the sorrow, the accusation, the desperation, the flickering hope. In the course of a few weeks, pastors from pulpits around the country have turned their focus to themes of justice and the oppressed. Their message is all around us, and most people are desperate for change of some kind, desperate to do the right thing, or desperate just to survive another day. ​

I live in Atlanta, one of the current “hot” cities.  Justice is a buzzword, and I’ve increasingly wondered how many of us truly understand what it means. I know I’m just beginning to scratch the surface.  See, it’s easy in times that are hard to be quick to speak; to be quick to think that my perspective is right; my solutions are the ones everyone else needs to heed. But if everyone has the “answer,” surely that means no one does.

My family and I participated in a march with a truly inspiring Christian organization committed to racial reconciliation in Jesus’ name here in Atlanta.  There was beautiful expression of unity and exhorting one another to put aside bias, humble ourselves, and love wholeheartedly. There was much good yet, even a noble march is not immune to the pointing of fingers and divisive statements.  Some demonized certain groups of people, others exalted human strength rather than trust in God. {These were not statements by the organization but rather that of the signage displayed by individuals}. I found myself encouraged by the expressions of unity, but also discouraged to see how far we still have to go to answering Jesus’ prayer in John 17 that we would be one. How can there be unity/change when we can’t even agree on what “justice” looks like?
 
Meditation
Isaiah 40:13,14—Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? (ESV)
 
These verses leave me in awe. While I am wading through the sin and error of my culture and own human bias, I have communion with One who founded the very way of justice. As long as I look to the right or to the left, expecting politics or individuals to have the answer, I am missing looking up, into the eyes of the One who judges perfectly. I clearly see in the struggle around my city/nation, that we are all desperate for answers, for change, for hope. Yet, the vast majority of the time we are missing the One who actually sees rightly. 

No one taught God the “path of justice,” as Isaiah writes. The very idea is absurd! How foolish we humans must look when we are quick to speak, to assign blame, to tune into our news stations instead of poring over the Word of God, and crying out for wisdom and understanding. For God has not withheld understanding from us. Proverbs 28:5 says, “Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely” (ESV).  We don’t have to flail about in confusion or arrogantly claim to have the answers. We know the One who does, and when we look to Him, He in turn is faithful and supplies wisdom and understanding.

I have hope that in these trying times, God is faithful to keep His promise. For too long, many of us have been apathetic about justice. I know I have been. God is not apathetic. He is zealous for His bride to be one. Let us not waste this hour, this opportunity to contend for true reconciliation in Jesus’ name! But may we be slow to speak, quick to humble ourselves, faithful to sit before God and to learn His way of Justice so that the prayer of Jesus may be answered!
 
Inspiration
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.—Martin Luther King, Jr.
 
©2020 Sarah Tegtmeier ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.     

​{Sarah is the daughter of Dan York} 

The Denver West Point Society hosted its first Leadership and Ethics Conference for high school juniors in Colorado.  It was entitled “Living an Honorable Life.” General (ret) George Casey served as the keynote speaker.  I had the privilege of hosting at my table six juniors—Amaya, Grace, Elias, Sandra, Caleb and Haley representing three different high schools and towns.   We studied vignettes that featured moral/ethical dilemmas with the students working through ethical decision-making models to reach wise solutions.

Colorado’s intent is to have an honorable justice system. Judges are elected differently than politicians running for office. They are rated on merit and then voted for by the public every four or six years.  By using this kind of system, judges remain independent from special interest groups and earn their keep through their job performance.    

​Sitting in the courtroom and listening to the judge emphasize the importance of listening and truth-telling, I could not help but feel gratitude for the opportunity to perform my civic duty.  For the first time in my life I was called to serve on jury duty.  It was an enlightening time learning how Colorado’s justice system is set up.  Unfortunately, it did not last long.  The court case to which I was assigned involved a company of which two other prospective jurors and I belonged.  We were instantly released from duty and sent home.  

​While attending a conference with senior military leaders we were informed that the likelihood of Congress failing to pass a continuing resolution was highly improbable.  Less than three days later the Senate and House failed to agree and we were surprised.  
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Most of my organization’s employees sit at home unable to go to work and are unsure when they will be able to resume their jobs.  For one income folks and families on tight budgets, the forced layoff is angst-producing. One missed paycheck is fraught with second and third order effects. As frustration with our government continues to climb I am taken back to my teenage years living in a third world country ripe with corruption.  Increasingly it feels like we are becoming third world.  But I am not surprised.

​This is another one of those topics most of us would rather not be bothered with—to our own peril.  We want God to be just and fair but we often fail to understand that His fairness is effectual because of what lies underneath it—His wrath.  How can anger have anything to do with fairness?  Well, let someone try and grab your daughter and abuse her and you’ll have a good idea.  Watch someone blatantly run a red light and see if your blood begins to boil. The Bible teaches us that “God is a righteous judge and a God who shows His wrath every day” (Psalm 7:11).  

​Have you ever engaged on a mission convinced you were doing the Lord’s will only to see your efforts defeated by some unforeseen event?  Have you taken a job sure that it was God’s choice for you only to discover the boss was mean-spirited or the co-workers adept at making your life miserable?  Have you lost a family member or experienced prolonged illness, convinced that God would bring healing and He didn’t?  If you answered “yes” to any of these questions you probably have sincere issues to discuss with God regarding His will and timing. 

​Tragedy has a way of releasing the inner ideologies of people that normally would go unstated.  After terrorists leveled New York’s Twin Towers and struck the Pentagon, we hear many voices emerging.  One voice cries:  “Revenge!” It acknowledges the pain of being wounded and seethes with anger.  “Blow away the enemy!  Make sure he never strikes us again.” 

​Jesus was the apotheosis of courage.  Imagine being perfect yet choosing to ignore the false charges of corrupt accusers! Jesus let His character be assassinated without defending Himself.  He accepted His own murder without the need to exact revenge. Instead, He entrusted Himself to His Father's hands--to be publicly humiliated by the very people He came to save.  If anyone had the right to call down forces from heaven it was Christ.  By thought alone He could have called out legions of angels.  They didn't have to pack duffel bags or get Anthrax shots before deploying!  No force on earth could have stopped them.  Yet, the Son of Man submitted to God's will. The Holy Spirit would come after to vindicate Him.  The pierced One rose to eternal glory. 

Meditation
1 Corinthians 13:4--Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited,
Titus 3:4,5--But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared.  He saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
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