It Starts Small

If even the heavens declare that God is righteous, why do some of us miss it? There are many that say God is not just or fair in the way He deals with people and they do not see God as a righteous God. I believe it is how we measure God’s righteousness by His timing. IN our minds God is righteous but when there is a need for justice and it does not happen when we want it or how we think it should go, we are quick to think there is no righteousness in Him.

IN these moments we are actually seeing just how righteous He is! HIs righteousness is not only just, honest, acting in our best interest, but also patient and merciful. In our scripture today, God displays to us one of HIs greatest righteous characteristics and that is patience.

The Lord is not dragging His feet to fulfill His promises. He is not considering changing His mind and has not forgotten about His promises. Instead He patiently waiting, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

The Lord is the righteous judge and righteous punishment is coming. He is not quick to bring that upon us because He is merciful first. Because God does not judge a person hen we think He should, we can miss His righteous nature because ultimately, no one will escape His judgement. God understands His position as a righteous judge. His righteousness requires judgement but also seeks to allow room for repentance. God will always do what is right in every situation.

Has there ever been a time you thought God should pay someone back for hurting you. I am always reminded of Luke 9. There is a small set of scripture that makes me chuckle:

⁵¹ When the days were coming to a close for him to be taken up, he determined to journey to Jerusalem. ⁵² He sent messengers ahead of himself, and on the way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make preparations for him. ⁵³ But they did not welcome him, because he determined to journey to Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” 
⁵⁵ But he turned and rebuked them, ⁵⁶ and they went to another village.

Luke 9:51-56

James and John asked Jesus to call fire down upon people who had refused them. Can you imagine the whole conversation?

Have we found ourselves in this situation before? Asking God to take vengeance upon those who have hurt us and you get nothing but crickets? God withholds vengeance because He patiently awaits for all to come to repentance, even those who have wronged you in terrible ways.

I believe we have to come to understand when God says I do not wish for any to perish, He literally means all the evil wicked people, including ourselves, on the planet. Yes, that means the abusive husband, the drug addicted child, the murders, the thieves, those who exploit others, etc. All people are given mercy and God withholds final judgement that they have the opportunity to be the prodigal son or daughter and come home.

Imagine if before you were saved and wronged someone. Imagine if that person went to God and said, cast your fire down on them and consume them, and He did. The opportunity in the future for you to come to repentance would be over in ash. This is NOT how God operates.

I understand how frustrating it is that we live in a world of absolute evil. The exploitation of men and women for someone’s personal pleasure. The murders. The thieves who pray on the elderly. The false teachers and preachers. Those who glorify and live in sin and rebellion openly. Where and when will it end? Why does it seem God is doing nothing? Because God is not fair He is just! In our lifetime, we many not see those who have wronged us get what we think they deserve, but if they do not repent, they have a far worse eternity than any sort of vengeance that could come on earth.

Instead of focusing on fire and brimstone, let us focus on the mercy and love of our God. His righteousness towards all of us. Let us not miss His righteousness because He does not act or move in the way we think He should.

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
and your ways are not my ways.”
This is the Lord’s declaration.
⁹ “For as heaven is higher than earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9

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