Corona Devo 1683

God loves us deeply.  So deeply.  But He is holy.  He must be just.  

An owner loves their new puppy, but they must train it, or there will be no respect and obedience, and thus there can be no true companionship.  In order for a puppy to become a trained dog, the owner must be just.  

A parent loves their child (loves!), but the role of parenting is a God-given responsibility.  The Bible directs that God-fearing parents must be just, for the well-being of the child...and for the family as a unit.  

He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly. (Proverbs 13:24)

If discipline is required, then out of love (for the child) then the parent is directly by God to give it.  The parent must be just.

Discipline out of love?  A parent must be just?  This sounds incorrect, and it definitely sounds counter-cultural if you ask most parents in today's culture.

It is a hard truth.  Almost too strict to enact, for many.  

But God demonstrates His love for us, also out of His holiness...and this makes it a must for Him to be just.  

How do I mean?  

Let God say it in His own words:

This is what the Lord said to me: “Go over and speak directly to the king of Judah. Say to him, (2) ‘Listen to this message from the Lord, you king of Judah, sitting on David’s throne. Let your attendants and your people listen, too.  ~Jeremiah 22:1-2

God is gathering the attention of the king of Judah, but He wants his attendants and the people to listen too.  He's talking to ALL of us.  What does God want us to hear?

(3) This is what the Lord says: 

Be fair-minded and just. 

Do what is right! 

Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors. 

Quit your evil deeds! 

Do not mistreat foreigners, orphans, and widows.

 Stop murdering the innocent!  ~Jeremiah 22:3

The Lord lays out an action plan for us today, for our rulers today, for our Nation and our world today.  He loves us, and so He lays down His laws before us.

Let's check our hearts, and let's check the pulse of our kings and our Nation:

Are we fair-minded and just?

Are we doing what is right?

Are we helping those who have been robbed; and rescuing them from their oppressors? 

Are there evil deeds that we need to quit?

Are we mistreating foreigners, orphans, or widows?

Are we murdering the innocent?  God says, " Stop murdering the innocent!" (Jeremiah 22:3).

The people and the king during Jeremiah's time were not obeying these commands from the Lord.  And God loved those people (the Israelites) a lot.  

(6) Now this is what the Lord says concerning Judah’s royal palace: “I love you as much as fruitful Gilead and the green forests of Lebanon.  ~Jeremiah 22:1-9

Gilead was a choice place, lush and fruitful.  Lebanon had cedars and mountains and was strong and fortified with God's Creation.  Both were treasured locations for the Lord.  He loved Gilead and Lebanon.  God loved the city of Judah too.  

He loves us a lot too.

But God is holy, and thus, He must be just...if Judah... if kings...if we are not being loyal to Him and His Word.

(6) Now this is what the Lord says concerning Judah’s royal palace: “I love you as much as fruitful Gilead and the green forests of Lebanon.  But I will turn you into a desert, with no one living within your walls.  

(7) I will call for wreckers, who will bring out their tools to dismantle you.  They will tear out all your fine cedar beams and throw them on the fire.  

(8) “People from many nations will pass by the ruins of this city and say to one another, ‘Why did the Lord destroy such a great city?’ 

(9) And the answer will be, ‘Because they violated their covenant with the Lord their God by worshiping other gods.’”  ~Jeremiah 22:6-9

~~~

It may sound harsh, even unloving, but the deepest loves must include respect and honor, and certainly the love of Almighty God must be just.

Chatting with an (older) friend over coffee, I shared some recent family "discussion" in which we were bringing the "law" to one of our children.  God's Law, and our responsibility and privilege to it, and also our family law.  

We love our kids, but when necessary, we must be just, for their well-being...and ours.  

My friend was honest enough to share that she felt we were coming down a bit hard on our child, but then she went on to share that while in her early teens, her mother had point-blank told her that if she ever slept with a man before marriage then she would be disowned.  "Your father will not let you back into this house...ever", she was told.  

My friend's example came from sixty years ago, and mine was from this week, but I told her, "We are talking about the same thing....  Your parents loved you enough to establish their expectations and to exercise their authority.  Their justice was out of their love.

My friend and I had world-examples, and Jeremiah brings us the same type of warning, from our Heavenly Father.  

God loves us deeply.  So deeply.  But He is holy.  He must be just.  

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com