May the mumbling commence!
Peace and justice are tied
together. We cannot have one without the
other. Read from Isaiah chapter
forty-two:
"Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, and I am pleased
with him. I have put my Spirit upon him. He
will reveal justice to the
nations. He will be gentle – he will not
shout or raise his voice in public. He
will not crush those who are weak or
quench the smallest hope. He will bring full
justice to all who have been wronged.
He will not stop until truth and
righteousness prevail throughout the earth. Even
distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction."
God, the Lord,
created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything
in it. He gives breath and life to everyone in all the world. And it is he who says, "I, the Lord, have called you to
demonstrate my righteousness. I
will guard and support you, for I have given you to my people as the personal
confirmation of my covenant with them. And you
will be a light to guide all nations to me.
You will open the eyes of the blind and free the captives from prison.
You will release those who sit in dark dungeons.” (Verses
1-7)
God’s Righteous One, Jesus, will
reveal justice in a gentle way. Full
justice will be paid as truth and righteousness prevail. Let’s wait on the Lord for these pieces to
peace.
But waiting is NOT passive. God has called His people to demonstrate the
righteousness of the Lord. God has
called us to be a light to all the world.
We are to open the eyes of the blind.
We are to open the prisons and free the captives.
Free our hearts and minds and souls. Open our eyes and unstop our ears so that we
might be your instruments of righteousness in the world, O God. This is our prayer.
May the pleasures of this world not
distract us from the task You have given us.
Read from Revelation chapter eighteen:
“She has lived in luxury and pleasure, so match it now with torments and sorrows. She boasts, 'I am queen on my throne. I am
no helpless widow. I will not experience sorrow.' Therefore, the sorrows of death and mourning and
famine will overtake her in a single day. She will be utterly consumed by fire,
for the Lord God who judges her is mighty."
And the rulers of the world who took part in her immoral acts and
enjoyed her great luxury will mourn for her as they see the smoke rising
from her charred remains. They will
stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will cry out,
"How terrible, how terrible for Babylon, that great city! In one single
moment God's judgment came on her." (Verses 7-10)
Let it not be said that there is no
luxury tax. Luxury tax is utter
destruction and torment. Our task is not
to accumulate. Our task is to right
relationships. Our task is to
share. Our task is to give to people and
allow people to support us… to receive… to be vulnerable.
May we embrace our God-given task
as God’s people!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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