LET JUSTICE ROLL ON LIKE A RIVER
Is it possible that in a world filled with so much hurt and hate that “justice could roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” That is exactly what Amos 5:24 teaches us to pray and expect. Our country is feeling crushed right now under the weight of the injustice, systemic racism, and bigotry that was put on display in the murder of George Floyd. The pain of all of the centuries and hate feel too overwhelming. But in this Plenty Too Much campaign we have been learning to see the pits of pain differently as things God can fill with PTM of His goodness, mercy, and love. Corrie Ten Boom said she discovered in the hell hole of a Nazi concentration camp, that there is no pit so deep that God’s love isn’t even deeper. We know that justice and righteousness take something far more than different laws and strategies these things take different hearts. If man could solve these problems he would’ve but he can’t. It takes something so much deeper. It takes the move of the Holy Spirit in people’s hearts and actions. True righteousness and justice is something that exists in Heaven and not in the ability or good intentions of man. The Kingdom of God is “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” As we celebrate Pentecost, we remember one of the reasons that God chose that Feast day to pour out His Holy Spirit on the earth. That was a day they remembered the law being given on Mount Sinai with a loud clasp and lots of fire. When the Holy Spirit came in Jerusalem after Jesus’ resurrection there was a loud explosion and fire, but this time it wasn’t tablets of stone that came on the outside. It was the Spirit of God who came to change men’s hearts on the inside. To heal the wounds and give the power to live the great principles that the whole law was about. Loving God with our whole hearts and loving our neighbors as ourselves. With the Holy Spirit there was more than laws that said “we should “there was power within that said “we could” and we would. How will justice and righteousness ever come to a nation? I believe it will come as we pray for a revival in which more and more people invite the Holy Spirit to live in them and fill them through salvation and renewal. I also believe it will happen as believers stand in the gap. As we step forward towards the hurt and hate in our country with acts of reconciliation, forgiveness, and love. This was typified by Corrie Ten Boom when she many years later met one of the Nazi guards partly responsible for killing her sister. She wanted to stay in feelings of hurt and hate. But by faith she reached out her hand to offer forgiveness. The Holy Spirit rushed through her like electricity and brought healing to her wounded heart and salvation and restoration to a former Nazi guard. We are His Peace Makers. Filled with the Holy Spirit we can take mighty actions that will release justice to roll like a river and righteousness to flow like a never-failing stream.