The Father Loves You By Pete BriscoeSample

Day 14

The Necessity of Justice

Everybody wants to see justice done, to somebody else. —Bruce Cockburn

In some families, the father punishes his children in ways that aren’t right or fair. Maybe he’s too harsh on his child for a small mix-up in the house, or maybe he withholds something good from them for no good reason.

Earthly fathers can misuse the power given to them. And if we apply these imperfections to our concept of God, we’ll end up questioning His authority, motives, and, ultimately, His justice.

If anyone should have been inclined to think God is unfair, it would have been Job. That guy lost everything he had—but he kept his cool and stood by his innocence. His friend, Elihu, helped to make sense of it all by affirming God’s justice:

“He repays everyone for what they have done;
he brings on them what their conduct deserves.
It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,
that the Almighty would pervert justice.” (Job 34:11-12)

He is just.

God loves His people, but that doesn’t erase the fact that He is also fair. He is perfect, so everything He does is right and good—meaning that He cannot overlook sin.

So we can thank Him that justice was satisfied on the cross. Sin was not overlooked that horrid day when Jesus paid the price so we could be forgiven. That act of sacrifice shows God to be both loving and fair. If we are in Christ, the punishment for our sin falls on Christ.

But for those who refuse this gift, their punishment will be swift and just.

Father, don’t let earthly injustice taint my perspective of You. Give me eyes to see the cross as the historical place where Your power and justice and love came together perfectly for me. Amen.