Contemplative Bible Reading

Isaiah 30:18 (New International Version)

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
he rises to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!

These three words are not often companions in today’s English. JUSTICE – yes with big bold letters – often means punishment. “We are going to bring these people to justice!” I don’t want to be one of those people.

Justice, however, means “the quality of being fair and reasonable.” Now that is more in line with grace and compassion.

But for the Christian, maybe it isn’t. God has not been fair and reasonable with me. If He had been fair and reasonable with me, He would have turned His back on me and let me wander off on my on silly, selfish, destructive way.Instead, God has showered His grace on my through His son Jesus Christ. God’s compassion has covered my sins and allowed me to stay in his presence.

Now that I have completely out argued myself, where am I with this verse? God is wonderful, marvelous, uncomparable. He wants to be gracious to me, to cover my sins and forget them. God “gets up every morning” so he can show compassion to me, to understand my misfortune and suffering in my human state. God is just. He understands when some people are not “fair” with me and treat me wrongly. He will right all wrongs in His time in His manner.

Yes, God is wonderful, marvelous, and without compare. He shows grace, compassion, and justice to me and offer these to all. God help me to remember these simple qualities.