I Will Restore (Amos 9:11)
Saturday, July 27, 2024
Psalm 68:1-20
Amos 9:7-15
Romans 3:21-31
Reading through these ancient prophesies can make one’s head spin, particularly when God starts talking about this “Day” that is coming. That Day could have been the Day the Assyrians finally conquered the northern kingdom; or when the Babylonians did the same to the south. Or it could be the final Day which is yet to come, when Christ returns. Or it could be the day when Christ hung on the cross and said “it is finished”. Or, it could be all of them (and, to one degree or another, it probably is).
When we get through these prophets preaching doom and gloom and terrible judgement from heaven upon the wicked of the earth, we usually get a happy ending, such as today. When the ground will be so bountiful that the planter will overtake the harvester. But this happy ending always happens after God has executed judgement and justice. So does this mean we have to wait until the happily ever after?
Look at St Paul’s words in today’s second lesson. He speaks of a judgement from God. But he talks about this judgement being poured out upon Christ when he hung on the cross. When Jesus died for our sins, God was both being perfectly just, as well as justifying (or making right) those who have faith.
For the Christian, the judgement of God has passed over us. Christ has borne those terrible words promised by the prophet, for us. Anything that comes our way is now not a judgement from an angry God, but a learning opportunity given to us by our loving Father. And he will never leave us to destruction, but always rescue us from the flames.
We’re living in this place at this time, in this type of society, with these types of rulers. And this is the God we worship. Our building of the heavenly kingdom on earth, with our sword and our trowel, has started after the happy ending. There is a more final happy ending yet to come, of course. But it has already begun, and we are living in it.
Where do you find the optimism to live your Christian faith more fully?
My God, you are both perfectly just and perfectly loving, and you have graciously chosen me to be an object of your love. Raise me up in the righteousness of Christ, to live and work in this happy ending you have prepared for me.
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