Aug. 1 – Thoughts on Psalm 57-59 & Romans 4

Our desire for God’s justice is a tricky thing.  We desire it for others, for those who have hurt us, who have “dug a pit” for me.  But not for ourselves.

I am a pretty intolerant driver.  When everyone obeys the rules and does what they should (by my standards of right and wrong anyway), I’m ok.  But give me just one driver staying in the lane that is about to end so he can gain 3 more places in traffic, give me one motorcycle passing traffic on the shoulder while we all wait in line, give me one merge where people don’t take their turn, and I’m yelling out the window at complete strangers.  I cry for justice for them.  Let their cars break down!  Let them get pulled over!  Let them get in a fender bender that wakes them up to the danger they are creating with their “bad driving”.

Yet when the policeman pulls me over for going just 7 over the speed limit, I’m equally incensed because there was nobody around, and everyone was going that fast, and it was a speed trap after all.

When it comes to justice, we want it for others, but not for ourselves.

Did you pick that up from the Psalmist today?  He begins with, “Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me…”  Our typical cry to God is a cry to set justice aside and give us mercy instead.  We pray for forgiveness, mercy, and grace which are the exact opposites of justice.

But then in the next verse he cries out “to God Most High, to God who vindicates me.”  In almost the same breath, he calls for mercy for him and justice for his enemies.

What would it look like if we cried for the same mercy for our enemies as we did for ourselves?  What if we called on God for justice against us as we do for justice against our enemies?  What if we were consistent?

Praise God today for His justice and His mercy, for His vindication and His grace, that He is just and merciful to everyone, and that which He brings to someone is His choice and not ours.