Throughout the ages the cry of the oppressed has been for justice. The rallying cry of the civil rights movement of the 60's was Amos 5:24 - "let justice roll down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."
Few things are more appealing about the kingdom of God than the aspect of justice. The greater the oppression the greater the appeal of God's perfect system of justice. And how much God desires to bring perfect fairness and justice! Jesus illustrated this truth through a simple story:
"In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, `Give me legal protection from my opponent.' "For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, `Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.' " And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find the faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:2-8)
An unsympathetic judge will bring about justice through persistence; how much more quickly will our merciful God bring justice to those who are persistent in faithful prayer. But apparently faithful prayer for the justice of the kingdom of God will be in short supply when Jesus returns because He says, "when the Son of Man comes, will He find the faith on the earth?" "The faith" that he mentions is based upon the justice of the kingdom of God.
To pray the Lord's prayer, "Your kingdom come", is to seek God's perfect justice through His kingdom. It is urgently seeking the ultimate justice that come only come in this way.
There are many causes in the world that cry for justice, and followers of Christ can easily busy themselves with those causes. They are, no doubt, good causes. But the best cause is that which is truly worthy of our best efforts: pleading to God for the ultimate justice of His Kingdom to come.
The point of Jesus' simple teaching in Luke 18 is that "they ought to pray and not to lose heart" (Luke 18:1)
The greatest good we can do is to seek the kingdom and its perfect justice and plead for it to come soon. This is a prayer that God is eager to answer!
Steve
Few things are more appealing about the kingdom of God than the aspect of justice. The greater the oppression the greater the appeal of God's perfect system of justice. And how much God desires to bring perfect fairness and justice! Jesus illustrated this truth through a simple story:
"In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, `Give me legal protection from my opponent.' "For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, `Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.' " And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find the faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:2-8)
An unsympathetic judge will bring about justice through persistence; how much more quickly will our merciful God bring justice to those who are persistent in faithful prayer. But apparently faithful prayer for the justice of the kingdom of God will be in short supply when Jesus returns because He says, "when the Son of Man comes, will He find the faith on the earth?" "The faith" that he mentions is based upon the justice of the kingdom of God.
To pray the Lord's prayer, "Your kingdom come", is to seek God's perfect justice through His kingdom. It is urgently seeking the ultimate justice that come only come in this way.
There are many causes in the world that cry for justice, and followers of Christ can easily busy themselves with those causes. They are, no doubt, good causes. But the best cause is that which is truly worthy of our best efforts: pleading to God for the ultimate justice of His Kingdom to come.
The point of Jesus' simple teaching in Luke 18 is that "they ought to pray and not to lose heart" (Luke 18:1)
The greatest good we can do is to seek the kingdom and its perfect justice and plead for it to come soon. This is a prayer that God is eager to answer!
Steve
posted by steve @ 9:27 AM
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