The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Luke 18:7-8,
"Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
In this summation of the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus told of the justice of God. Luke provides the purpose of the parable in verse 1, "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up."
When folks ask for justice, they are requesting what is coming as a certainty. However, God's people need to be tenacious in their request to God for justice. God exercises "kindness, justice and righteousness on earth", Jeremiah 9:24, and so that justice will be coming. God will be responding to the request of his "chosen ones" for justice. Their persistence in prayer for justice will aid them in leaving retribution in the hands of God. It will aid them in issues of anger, bitterness and unforgiveness as they experience the intolerance and the harsh treatment the world provides.
Jesus' closing remark at the end of the parable is a sobering one. "Will he find faith on the earth?" That is the issue when considering the justice of God. The "chosen ones" Jesus refers to are those who are people of faith, those who have placed their trust in him. When the Lord comes to bring justice to the earth, those who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith will escape God's judgment and instead, find their grievances addressed by God against those who have opposed them, those who are not of faith.
There is no surprise that true believers find opposition from unbelievers. John speaks to this as a natural outcome of the spiritual forces at work in the world, "For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you." 1 John 3:11-13. This animosity expresses itself in the maltreatment of believers by others and when it happens we are to be in prayer about it.
As I read of the horrific nature of God's justice, I can't help but feel a real concern for those who have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ. The judgment scene depicted in Revelation 20:11-15 is a frightful one!
"When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
In this summation of the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus told of the justice of God. Luke provides the purpose of the parable in verse 1, "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up."
When folks ask for justice, they are requesting what is coming as a certainty. However, God's people need to be tenacious in their request to God for justice. God exercises "kindness, justice and righteousness on earth", Jeremiah 9:24, and so that justice will be coming. God will be responding to the request of his "chosen ones" for justice. Their persistence in prayer for justice will aid them in leaving retribution in the hands of God. It will aid them in issues of anger, bitterness and unforgiveness as they experience the intolerance and the harsh treatment the world provides.
Jesus' closing remark at the end of the parable is a sobering one. "Will he find faith on the earth?" That is the issue when considering the justice of God. The "chosen ones" Jesus refers to are those who are people of faith, those who have placed their trust in him. When the Lord comes to bring justice to the earth, those who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith will escape God's judgment and instead, find their grievances addressed by God against those who have opposed them, those who are not of faith.
There is no surprise that true believers find opposition from unbelievers. John speaks to this as a natural outcome of the spiritual forces at work in the world, "For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you." 1 John 3:11-13. This animosity expresses itself in the maltreatment of believers by others and when it happens we are to be in prayer about it.
As I read of the horrific nature of God's justice, I can't help but feel a real concern for those who have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ. The judgment scene depicted in Revelation 20:11-15 is a frightful one!
"When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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