Our Just God
A little while back you might remember I had some devotions based on coming to church, and we spoke about how important it is to get together to worship rather than just consuming content.
But have a look at this reading today from Amos 5. And note, church worship without a concern for justice is an outrage to God.
He says this in the reading: “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to Me. Even though you bring Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.” (Amos 5:21–24)
God is a God of justice. He says when justice and righteousness isn’t ruling out of us, He can’t stand what we’re doing.
God’s Call for Justice
There are really two types of justice. The first is social justice, which, according to the San Diego Foundation, is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political, and social rights and opportunities. So God surely aims for social justice—a greater balance in the human race where people don’t have to suffer.
And then there’s another type of justice—essentially the judgement or punishment of evil. If somebody is murdered and the murderer goes free, people say “injustice” because the evil hasn’t been paid for.
Is the World Just?
And so I wonder—if you look at the world today, is it a just world? Is there social justice, equality, and basic respect for all people? Is there righteous justice—evil being paid for and the innocent being cared for?
I’m not so sure about that, but I do know this: God longs for you and I to be people who care about justice, because He is a God who cares about justice.
Living Out Justice
Let it never be said that God wants to turn down the noise of our songs when we sing in church. May we always be Christians who love, work for, and care about justice in the world.
