Old Testament: Jeremiah 11 & 12
Poetry: Proverbs 9
New Testament: 1 Peter 1
And, since there is never a wrong Bible passage to read and discuss on any given day, today’s devotion will be over Psalm 9.
For quite some time, the headlines of news reports have involved some form of injustice taking place in the world. Human trafficking is finally getting the attention needed to address the problem, but it is still very much an epidemic that needs to be solved. Racial discrimination has received national attention for various reasons, and is one that Christians who believe that we are “all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28) take very seriously. Poverty in many third-world countries (and some first-world countries) remains a constant issue that governments have been unable to correct. For all the wrong done in this world, and has gone wrong since mankind fell in the Garden, there is an ultimate answer to put our hope in: our heavenly Father’s justice.
Our reading in Psalm 9 today tells us what God is going to do when the end of this age comes: judge the world in righteousness (v. 7-9). When our heavenly Father intervenes in the last days, He is going to do something about the injustices that many suffer from. He is going to favor those who have been oppressed, those who were powerless to do anything, and those who are the poorest among us. This tells us that our heavenly Father values each and every person on earth, seeing the injustice that they suffer from as a personal attack on what He has created. Every individual on earth is made in His image (Genesis 1:26-28), and they should be treated as such by our leading figures, and especially by us as followers of Jesus Christ.
There is a warning here in this passage: you don’t want to be on the other side of the Great Judgment coming in the end. Those who are the oppressors and abusers should take heed; they are in serious danger if they don’t change and repent. This should strike a healthy amount of fear into our hearts, if we have people around us who we have wronged (v. 20). Jesus warns us that we need to reconcile differences with others before the End comes, or we have some dangerous things waiting for us (Matthew 5:21-26).
Brothers and sisters, let today be a challenge to you to do two things: reconcile with anyone you may have wronged, and stand up for those who are being unjustly oppressed. It could be as simple as a classmate who is being bullied; stand up for them and help them. It could be a co-worker that is being treated unfairly by a boss; stand up for them and help them. Because when we help the “least of these”, we are ultimately helping Jesus (Matthew 25:40).
-Talon Paul
Reflection Questions
- How important is justice to you? How have you and can you be a part of seeking justice for the oppressed? How important is justice to God? How has He and will He show His righteous justice?
- Prayerfully consider who you need to reconcile with and then do it.
- This devotion was written before the events of this past weekend – the attacks on Israel. How does it relate and what are your thoughts and feelings after reading Psalm 9? Pray for Israel and for God’s intervention and righteous judgment. Come, Lord Jesus, Come and do the work your Father has prepared for you.
Seek Grow Love 