Knowing the Lord: DEVOTIONS

DEVO #1 | God of Justice

     THINK:

    Often people read through Jeremiah and other prophetic or law books in the Bible with a heavy heart. They read things like,"Hear, O earth: I am bringing disaster on this people..." (Jeremiah 6:19 NIV) and think to themselves, Ouch. Oh well, that doesn't apply to me.

    The truth is, we like to distance ourselves from the consequences of sin. We love the God of mercy and grace...but justice? Can we skip to the redeeming part, please?

    But, to fully appreciate God's heart, we must also know Him as a God of justice. A God of mercy and justice in equal measure. A God desiring grace but also dishing out justice.

    But, you know what? I think that the so-called "boring" books are some of the best in the Bible. God's been showing me passages from Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Hosea, and more. Books that people pay little attention to.

    They can be a little graphic sometimes, too. God often compares His people going after false gods as adultery and prostitution. Yikes!

" 'I myself [the Lord] said,

'How gladly would I treat you like sons

'and give you a desirable land,'

the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.'

I thought you would call me 'Father'

and not turn away from following me.

But like a woman unfaithful to here husband,

so you have been unfaithful to me, O house

of Israel,'

declares the Lord."

- Jeremiah 3:19 - 20 (NIV)

     So, what's the point? Some dead Israelites disobeyed the Lord. What's that got to do with me? Why should I care? It sounds pretty depressing, actually.

    While ancient people bowing down to stone and wood figures seems like, well, ancient history, passages like these paint a beautiful picture of God's heart.

Take this passage from Deuteronomy 5 : 28 - 29 (NIV):

"[Moses told the people] 'The Lord heard you when you spoke to me and the Lord said to me, 'I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!'"

And again in Ezekiel 18:32:

" 'For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!' "

SO WHAT?

     I still love reading the gospels and books like Romans. They show another special piece of God's heart. But I urge you, brothers and sisters in Christ, not to forget about these other prophetic and law books. Because there is value in every book in the Bible, no matter how odd it seems.

LIVING IT OUT:

    So read these more obscure books. They display a part of God you may not have discovered. If you're unsure about what God is saying in a certain spot, ask Him to show you His heart in the matter. Notice how when the Lord is angry, He is usually angry at sin, which He knows will hurt us and affect our relationship with Him.

    Read some of Isaiah 12 today. Think about how God always forgives you. Ponder that even after Israel's many sins, God forgave them and how punishment is necessary to grow.

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Please comment and share. Thanks for reading today. May God bless you!

- Katrina