My heart breaks for all of the oppressed people groups in this world. It seems there is a new one each week. There are protests in Hong Kong and Ecuador, Kurds being attacked by Turkey, and the list goes on. It is easy to ask where God is in all of this. What we need to understand is that God loves justice and hates injustice. He is at work in all circumstances, we just can’t see it, and He works on his own timeline. As Believers, we are called to be faithful through it all.
Isaiah 61:8
For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and injustice; I will faithfully reward my people and make a permanent covenant with them.
Reward for the faithful
Israel’s transition back into the promise land after captivity wasn’t an easy one. Jerusalem was reduced to rubble, only a fraction of the Jews returned, and Sanballat and Tobiah were continually harassing the rebuild process. Isaiah reminds them that God is watching the injustices they are enduring, and he will punish those who are mistreating them, and He will reward those who are faithful.
Corrupted World
Sin has caused a lot of evil in this world, and it won’t be corrected until Christ returns. Evil will take advantage of anyone it sees weakness. Just as Sanballat and Tobiah saw weakness in Israel, Satan and his henchmen look for our weaknesses to exploit them. Our job is to endure these attacks and wait for God’s deliverance. Romans 5 tells us that suffering produces endurance, which produces character, which produces hope. We find our hope in Christ by going through the process of suffering.
God Loves Justice
God loves justice. He isn’t happy when His children are being attacked. He will come to your rescue; all you have to do is stand firm and watch Him defend you. As we wait for that rescue, look to Him for everything you need. Lean on Him when it seems there is nothing else. He will get you through the storm, and you will be better for it.