The discipline and practice of intercessory prayer is difficult at the best of times. While on vacation it becomes a real struggle. Since this is a “work” that God has given me, I feel uncomfortable with the fact that I am not praying the same way I do at home.
Today’s verse is Jeremiah 10:24. “O Lord, correct me, but with justice; not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.”
My first thought after reading it is, I want mercy, not justice, yet as I think about what justice means in the economy and plan of God, I understand why the one who wrote this verse asked for justice. Justice is certainly better than God’s fury, yet it is better than any other thing that I could ask for.
Literally, justice is giving people what they deserve. That is downright scary, yet everything that I deserve from God, including judgment, wrath and death, was put on Christ at the cross. He took all of it. God’s justice against my sin has been satisfied.
Therefore, if I ask God to correct me with justice, I am asking Him to remember the cross and the blood of Christ. I am asking Him to correct me with the sacrifice Jesus made on my behalf. I’m not asking that He gives me what I deserve, but remembering that Jesus has received all of the justice that should have been mine, and because of Him, God has no wrath against me. He is on my side, wanting to help me be all I can be, not waiting for me to sin so He can jump on me and pour out His anger against me.
The devotional reading connected to this verse also says the same thing. When I sin, God is not filled with fury. Instead, He is concerned for my sake and will take steps to correct me. In doing this, I will experience conviction, which does not feel all that good, but godly conviction leads to repentance, and from there I am changed by the power of the Holy Spirit into what I should be so that doing those things that God wants me to do becomes more automatic and less of a discipline.
I’m amazed how the justice of God works. Because of Jesus, God somehow takes me out of my sinful selfishness and brings me into a godly love and care for others. Instead of being lazy or neglectful in praying for them, He makes me more like His Son—who “ever lives to intercede” for others (Hebrews 7:25).
My first prayer today is, O Lord, correct me, but with justice. . . . that I might be more like Jesus and more inclined to do the work that You have given me.
My second prayer is simply, Thank You!
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