A brief statement on the justice I demand in my heart.

God, I have made myself like an enemy to you.

• I am like Judas.  I betray you.
• I am like the Pharisees.  I reject you.
• I am like the Israelites. I complain and don’t trust you.
• I am like the disciples in the boat.  I’m weak and afraid.
• I am like Jonah. I ignore you and do what I want instead.

God, to what can I compare you though?

• You died in the place of sinners – liars, thieves murderers.
• You are the King, but you washed feet like a lowly servant.
• You obeyed every word of God, perfectly.
• You taught us with your perfect words and deeds.
• You love us, though we are completely unlovable.

If your own morality has a threshold for acceptable or unacceptable sin, you will cross it. You will do that which you demand in your heart must never be done.  You can’t even keep your own morality let alone God’s perfect law.  What hope do you have? Quit and give up thinking you are justified and the rest of the world is not – you will fail your own law, making yourself the very thing you condemn – you won’t be able to do what you want to do – what you expect others to do.  You are so much worse off than you think – and this is meant to show us that Jesus is so much better than we think.

The wicked are no more wicked than you.  But they have no light – no truth to expose their darkness.  They have no knowledge of their impending doom or of their own utter foolishness – but you do! The light came down and shone on your darkness and washed you and cleaned you.  Reflect that light on to those in the darkness.  Don’t condemn them in the least.  Do not judge them.  You are no different.  Take your hands off of your neighbor’s throat – release them from your hypocritical judgment. Instead, show them the great love that you have been shown.  But don’t think your life will be comfortable, or easy or full of pleasure.  Jesus did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  We are at war with the devil in a broken world full of pain.  You will endure many troubles and see great suffering and injustice – but don’t be discouraged.  All things will come into judgement one day, and they will be paid for, either by the guilty or by the blood of Jesus.  You will be hurt by others, but don’t take revenge – let God repay, and your reward will be great in heaven.