Justice & Mercy

I feel like I’ve felt both justice and mercy as recent as last week.  I was driving through a town in Northwest Georgia and I was given a “safe driving award” (aka a speeding ticket). I was on the north side of the town and the traffic was opening up and I wasn’t paying close attention to the speed. I thought I was going with the traffic when an SUV going south flipped on the blue lights and I watched as he made a U-turn and somehow, I just knew it was me.  He told me how fast I was going in a 45 MPH zone and I was stunned. He took my license and insurance card and went back to his card. I asked the Lord for favor even though I knew I didn’t deserve it. The nice officer came back and had dropped my speed down to a lesser amount in order to reduce the amount of the ticket.  I apologized for speeding in his town and thanked him for mercy and carefully went on to my destination.  I received the ticket – (justice) and received a lower speed violation (mercy) in the same incident.

When I read the Old Testament, I see a God of Justice more so than mercy. When I read the New Testament, I see mercy more than justice.  Please don’t mis-hear – He’s the same God, but He sent His Son to save the world and I’m so thankful.  I’ve deserved justice way more than mercy, but I feel like I’ve received mercy way more than justice.

Ezekiel was a prophet who was delivering news of justice. The Lord had had enough of the blatant sin and disrespect of His people and He was delivering justice. Check this out….

⁹ Then he said to me, “The sins of the people of Israel and Judah are very, very great. The entire land is full of murder; the city is filled with injustice. They are saying, ‘The Lord doesn’t see it! The Lord has abandoned the land!’ ¹⁰ So I will not spare them or have any pity on them. I will fully repay them for all they have done.” (Ezekiel 8:9-10 NLT)

I still believe that God is a God of Justice, but He deals out His Justice through the filter of grace. I was reminded of Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome. Check this out…

¹So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. ² And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. ³ The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the body’s we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. ⁴ He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4 NLT)

I’m so thankful for the mercy and grace delivered by Jesus.

I’m so thankful for the Spirit of God Who lives in me and helps me honor Him with my life choices.

I’m so thankful for forgiveness.

I’m so thankful for His Presence in me.

I’m so thankful to be His kid.

I deserve justice quite often, but more times than not, I receive mercy.

Pressing On!

Dwayne