Day 244

Micah 5:1-7:20, 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, Proverbs 21:17-26

Two things today – justice and heaven.

I have mentioned before my short trip to Africa and the work that we did there with Christian lawyers, but more particularly looking at recovery in Rwanda post-genocide. The group that we went with had Micah 6:8 as their motto

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
   And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
   and to walk humbly with your God”

When you have been face to face with the signs of injustice this verse takes on a whole new meaning. Last time we looked at it, we pondered the challenge that it places on us to be Christians in practice and not just word – worship is pointless if we do not follow it up. I want to take that a step further though and look at the justice and mercy part. When we home in on this part we realise that even when we live in a society that is meant to have justice at its core, God still wants us to do more. Day by day we actually come face to face with injustice, whether that is bullying, sexism, racism or just keep the list going. What God wants is for us to stand up against all of that and seek justice and mercy.

In terms of heaven, Paul is talking about us giving up our current flesh and bone bodies for something a lot better. For many many years I have found real depth in hymns that speak of the day we get into heaven. This moment, the moment of death is something that most people don’t want to get to in a hurry. And yet it is the moment that we meet God, that we are joined for all eternity with Him, in all his glory, now that is a day to long for and that is what Paul is really trying to get across to the Corinthians.

Let us rejoice in the offer of meeting Christ in all his glory, but until that day let us be marked by justice and mercy in all we do.