Justice and Intercessory Prayer

Some mornings I am eager to pray because the needs are definite. This time my burden is the result of a conversation with another Christian who is caught up in worldly ideas. He is also trying to change things without a biblical mandate or power from God. While he wants to fight for justice, he has not sought the will of God on his concerns or prayed about any part of it.

Oddly enough, (I love God’s ‘coincidences’) this passage is discussed in today’s devotional reading . . .

And (Jesus) told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:1–8)

Our ultimate resource for justice is the mercy and power of God. Humanly speaking, most folks, even judges, are not concerned unless lack of justice is affecting them personally or financially. As the widow in the above parable, we are most likely to cry out when someone treats us unjustly.

To his credit, the Christian I talked to yesterday has higher concerns. He is upset about unjust events in our world and by those who are supposed to fight against those things, not participate in them. While this has been a concern for ages, and while most of us have no power to change it, he would like to — but instead has become extremely frustrated.

In reading this parable told by Jesus, I’ve often wondered about the last line that asks if Jesus will return and find faith on the earth. Now I see why Jesus asked it. My Christian friend needs a faith-boost. He thinks he can fix things, but when crying out for justice, he and all of us need to make sure our cries are going to the One who can make it happen. Yes, we need to do our part and treat others justly, but only God can change the hearts of those outside of our influence. This requires prayer, and prayer requires faith. Whether or not Jesus is coming soon, He always looks for faith on earth.

I cannot pray for justice or anything else unless I believe in the reality of what God can do. Prayerful Intercession for the people and situations that trouble me is strenuous. It takes time and genuine effort to seek the will of God for those situations and for the people involved. Not only is it hard work to pray this way, it is also hard work to shut out the ideas of the world, my own desire for personal comfort, and my emotions about these issues. Sometimes, as Chambers says, these issues can be so crushing that I cannot get through to the reality of what is going on and to the mind of God on that reality.

Chambers also says that Christians often shirk this intimacy with God by getting busy. We even try to fix things rather than seeking His intervention in prayer that is faith-filled and based on a totally open and trusting relationship. Yes, God might ask me to do something, but there are literally millions of issues for which I’ve no power, authority, ability, or opportunity to become involved. Only God can do it all.

That means I must pray. When I pray knowing that God can redeem anyone or anything for His purposes, God creates something He can create in no other way because He chooses to do it through intercessory prayer.

Justice for godliness?

When it comes to justice, many people are willing to defend their own rights, but easily look the other way when others are trampled. Justice and persecution are largely unfamiliar topics since I’m not a poster girl for unjust treatment, yet there are others who suffer abuse and are even in prison when they are not guilty of anything other than loving Jesus. 
 

Although not a crime in our part of the world (yet), there are places in our modern world where preaching the Gospel is illegal, even punished by death. Followers of other faiths are free to speak of their beliefs but not Christians. It was the same in Bible days. Some of the disciples were tortured and martyred for believing in Jesus and the Apostle Paul was thrown in jail for preaching the gospel.

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:8–13)

Paul had a unique way of dealing with this injustice. He didn’t put himself or his rights out front. Instead, he was motivated by a deep love for others. He also remembered what happened to Jesus Christ and considered it an honor to suffer for the same reasons. He knew that the Word of God had power to save souls for eternity, even if the one who preached it was in jail. Because of this attitude, he was able to endure what was happening to him.

Jesus earlier told the disciples that they would suffer for believing in Him. He even told them to consider it an honor to do so, for persecution identified their allegiance, and they would be rewarded.

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11–12)

Why do followers of Jesus Christ receive such unjust treatment? In my country, there is a great cry for tolerance in the name of every other religion, but Christians are not given the same freedom. It is okay to be angry and hate us for what we believe. It is as Jesus said…

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you…. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. (John 15:18–21)

Jesus said they do it because we are of a different citizenship. We belong to heaven and for some reason that makes people hate us just as they hated the One we call our Lord and King. They also hate our message for it calls them out of the world too, and for most, they love their sin and do not want to change.

Paul knew he would be treated unjustly. The Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:15–16) and the other apostles learned that this was an honor. “And when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.” (Acts 5:40–42) 

This does not happen as much here as it did there. Perhaps the freedom of living in North America has spoiled us? Perhaps we take for granted the fairness that has characterized our justice system (that is now failing)? Or we assume the blessing of God includes comfort and being tolerated, even well-liked? 

The Bible does say, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12), yet in North America, most of us are protected by law, godly or not. In other parts of the world, Christians die every day because others hate them simply for being godly people. 

I’m not sure how I would respond to severe persecution. My hope is that I would look to Jesus and identify with Him, appreciating how He suffered for my sake and considering it a privilege to be like Him. Yet I fear that I’m not there yet, and that I would defend myself rather than endure for the sake of the Gospel.

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Lord, today’s reading says that “the highest bidder for the crown of glory is the lowliest wearer of the cross of self-denial” which says to me that I cannot credit the justice system for any lack of persecution in my life. Rather, the reason could easily be that my life is characterized more by me-first than self-denial. Jesus, You know. I’m grateful that many of Your people still have freedom to believe and proclaim the Gospel, but know that a day is coming when this will not be so. May You work in my heart so that I will not shrink back when that day arrives.

True Prosperity

Lately I’ve been bothered by injustice. People seem to get away with everything. In some parts of the world, terrorists are killing children simply because they are in school and the terrorist is against education. Armies are sent to try and stop this, but people in the sending countries are screaming to bring them home so their soldiers will not die, as if oppression and terrorism should go unchecked.

We have injustice at home too, in a different form. Here, a person can use a car to kill someone and be sentenced for less than five years, but someone else can embezzle funds from A Rich Company, Inc. and is put away for twenty-five.

In our prosperous and wealthy city literally thousands of women are turned away from shelters for battered women because there is no room. While they suffer without a home or any care, what is happening to the men who beat them?

These women are not the only homeless in this booming economy. People move here in droves thinking the boom will bulge their pockets, but they come in empty-handed. This is folly, yet little is being done to help them. They live in tents in the parks, without work and rapidly fading hope.

In all of this, many may have more than we need, but even then, a few fall into another clash; the conflict of trying to live a godly life in the midst of those who don’t give a damn about God or justice or even goodness.

I suppose I feel something like the author of Psalm 73 in that I too am perplexed by “the prosperity of the wicked.” I don’t envy them though. I used to, at least the prosperity part, but not anymore. Back then, as the psalmist says in verse 22, “I was so foolish and ignorant.”

It takes awhile to learn the advantages of being a child of God in comparison to those who abandon God and goodness. They seem to do well. They are happy and “Have more than heart could wish.” They scoff, speak wickedly and in pride,“set their mouth against the heavens.” In their minds, God either doesn’t know what they are doing or doesn’t care. They are at ease as they increase in riches and in their unjust and unfair ways.

I have felt as the psalmist did in that living a clean life is in vain. What is the point? God is always dealing with me. He chastens me for the slightest sin, and every morning I hear Him speak about my need to change, but those who don’t know Him, or care to know Him, never hear any correction or His rebuke. They go on their merry way, doing whatever they want. If I didn’t know better I would be as the psalmist, bitter and envious.

Yet he learned, and I learned from him. He “went into the sanctuary of God” and there learned about God. He says, “Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.”

He knew the powerful presence of God, a presence that makes the circumstances of life easier to bear, even seem as nothing. If I am a victim, I have Almighty God with me. Who can over-power me with Him right here? I don’t go through life needing lawyers, guidance counselors, therapists, and so on, because the Lord holds me and guides me into glory.

One commentary says about this: “‘Into glory’ could also be translated ‘with glory,’ meaning that God would guide him (the psalmist) through his troubles so that he would enjoy honor (and not shame; cf. 4:2) in this life. Since ‘glory’ for individuals in the Old Testament seldom meant heavenly glory the psalmist was probably looking for deliverance in his lifetime. This would demonstrate that he was in God’s favor.”

In other words, ‘glory’ (which signifies the attributes and qualities of God), is on me when I walk with Him. I’m hardly a loser for being “not of this world” but have gained something far more precious than the prosperity and ‘freedom’ enjoyed by those who hate God. I have His favor!

The psalmist expresses the bottom line of his tussle with what seems like injustice. He says to God, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Where would I be without faith in Jesus Christ? I might be more prosperous. I might be free to do whatever I felt like, free to enjoy all sorts of indulgences and free to sin without the conviction of the Holy Spirit, but the psalmist knew and I know too: “For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.”

The supermarket of life contains all sorts of goodies, and we are free to pick up whatever we please, but everyone of us must go through the checkout. There we pay the price, and unless that price has already been paid for us (by the death of Jesus Christ, which also affects what we pick up), the bill will be costly indeed.

With the psalmist I have to say, “It is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God.” Prosperity, freedom to sin, all that may seem good to those who are indulging in it, yet they are “set in slippery places . . . utterly consumed with terrors” and not able to know or enjoy the incredible right hand of God who will eventually make all things right.