'Injustice' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.” vs. 16 Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 Ezekiel describes the Lord as a loving shepherd who one day will seek out the lost and strayed sheep, and bind up the injured and the weak. But then he adds these disquieting words, “the…
Daily Devotions
Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died.” vs. 60 Acts 7:59-60 Alone among the gospel writers, Luke reports that Jesus spoke words of forgiveness from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” And now we hear similar words from the first martyr, Stephen, as he is being stoned. Their voices remind us that sometimes…
Daily Devotions
If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval.” vs. 20 1 Peter 2:19-22 It was not unusual in the Roman provinces for households to include a number of slaves, and it’s evident that many of those slaves became followers of Jesus. Peter in his letter advises those slaves to patiently endure when they are mistreated. They should take…
Daily Devotions
But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony.’” vs. 25 Luke 16:19-25 If we are at all alert to the world around us, it’s hard not to notice that there is an intrinsic unfairness built into the systems we have constructed for ourselves. Some people get their share and more of good things while others reap…
Daily Devotions
Therefore because you trample on the poor and take from them levies of grain, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.” vs. 11 Amos 5:10-15 Amos came with an outsider’s eye and he could see what the people of Israel could not. Because the abuse had gone so long, they had gotten used to it. Of course, the rich systematically took…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 119:33-36 … “Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.” vs. 34 The Jews had deep affection for the law. They rightly understood that its precepts provided a guide for healthy and orderly life in community. No country or nation can expect to know internal stability without an overwhelming allegiance to what is called the “rule of law.” Many in our land have expressed deep concern over what has been called…
Daily Devotions: June 15, 2020
June 15, 2020 Jeremiah 20:7-10 … “For whenever I speak, I must cry out, I must shout, ‘Violence and destruction!’ For the word of the Lord has become for me a reproach and derision all day long.” vs. 8 Jeremiah gives us a glimpse of his mindset in today’s passage and he obviously wasn’t enjoying his work as Prophet. The message given him by the Lord sparked resentment in all that heard it, and he was regularly mocked on all…
Daily Devotions: June 12, 2020
June 12, 2020 Romans 5:6-11 … “But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.” vs. 8 In recent years, there have been many instances when people of color have been killed while in the hands of the police. When that happens we can count on two very different reactions. On the one hand there are loud demands for justice and accountability; sometimes crowds of protesters fill the streets and there…
Daily Devotions: February 26, 2019
February 26, 2019 For full passage click: Psalm 99:1-5 …“Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.” vs. 4 As homeowners, we are gratified when we are able to establish substantial equity in our property. At the very least it means that when we retire we’ll have more assets than liabilities which is generally a good thing. The psalmist uses equity in a different sense while speaking about God’s intentions. He believes…