The charge that God is not fair is not new. God
confronted Israel through the prophet Ezekiel saying, “your people say, ‘The
way of the Lord is not just,’ when it is their own way that is not just.” Yet
God takes no delight in this argument. His desire is for people to turn from
their sin; to turn and live in his forgiveness and grace.
Part of the problem that people have when they deal with
God’s justice is that they impose their own sense of fairness above it and
vastly underestimate how serious and deadly sin is. Sinful behaviors,
attitudes, beliefs, and thoughts are truly a matters of life or death, and when
we choose sin, we choose death.
God pleads with his people to turn back to him. The word
that is translated “turn” here can also be translated “repent” in other
contexts. The proper response to God’s mercy is to repent; to turn away from
our sin and to return to him.
When do you struggle to repent? How might knowing God’s
justice and his mercy help you repent?
Father in heaven,
you made Ezekiel and watchman and his ministry shows us that you desire sinners
to turn from their sin and live. Thank you for making this known to us,
otherwise we might think that you only want to punish us for our sins. Forgive
us for being slow to turn. Set our hearts and minds on Jesus, help us remember
the love and forgiveness he gives us through his death, and move us to repent
of our sins so that we might live righteous lives for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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