17: 50 Days of 3:16

We expect our governments and courts to be able to judge on right and wrong. We bring the issues that we cannot deal with ourselves to them for just judgement. And for a time it may have been that way, but what is happening in today’s society the laws are being changed to suit the desires of sinful man.

 

 And I saw something else under the sun:

In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,
in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

Ecclesiastes 3:16

 

Every country is dealing with these issues. It can be a hot topic issue like gender identity or something that is being pushed with little media attention like bestiality. I just read that two years ago that in my own country people could have sex with animals, ruled okay by the supreme court. We have laws in place in the last 50 years or so that have allowed millions of children the potential to survive for the sake of convenience. Sin corrupts not just man, but it has spread to all aspects of this world.

God set up the laws well ahead of any other society. They were set for a reason, to convey right from wrong and to help identify what things, if participated in, should be punished. Many countries had used these laws as a basis to build their justice systems from, yet today they look much different then when they were created. As in the days of Noah, men did whatever they thought best in their own eyes, look what happened to them.

What can we do? As believers, we can pray for courage to stand up to these areas that are sinful. We must be willing to stand by God’s teachings of what is right and wrong. For us to blindly accept things that go against the bible is not right, and we need to love those who are trying to enforce these falsehoods upon us. It will do us no good to protest and be belligerent about it, that will only fuel the fire and prove what they already think about Christians. Wise strategic moves, revealing the truth in what we say, showing them that God loves them but that we don’t absolutely agree on actions and laws that go against God. This doesn’t mean we isolate ourselves from the world, Jesus wouldn’t have done that, he would have engaged and shown them love and compassion revealing the truth of the situation. Let us work to be like Jesus and shine the light of truth in this world.

 

Father, sin has infected our justice and judgement systems. We pray for the healing of these areas and that people who are confused by the law will turn to you for answers. The things that are being passed these days for laws are so contradictory to our faith, yet people are accepting them as truth. Give us boldness to confidently stand up for our faith even if it means persecution. Help us to be effective in the mission of reaching the lost as they are looking for you. Amen

Day 44: Original 50 Days of Pray Revisited

Thoughts of Day 44: The laws of the Old Testament were created to show the people the need for them to rely on God. Our Governments make laws to help us be better people and create a civil society. Sports give us rules so the game will run smooth and all is fair. Jesus narrowed all the laws down into two simple statements; 1) Love God, 2) Love your neighbor. Everything else can be seen in these, if you loved your neighbor would you lie, steal, hurt him?

Day 44

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. (Psalm 119:18 NIV)

Wait a minute, laws are rules, rules are restrictive, how can I see wonderful things in your law, it makes no sense.

You probably hear lots if reasons people won’t go to church but one I hear a lot is the fact that there are so many rules to follow. They focus on the rule it self but don’t really look at the consequences in their lives if they don’t follow it. Now I am not promoting legalism but just follow me for a minute.

The church says you shouldn’t have sex before marriage. Keep the marriage bed pure. The non-believer will say “your trying to take my fun away” but the don’t see the negative side of sex before marriage, such as unplanned pregnancy, STDSs, higher rate of divorce once you do get married. To see the wonderful side if that “law” is that God will bless you for being faithful. Your connection with your spouse will be stronger. And outside desires for others will be weaker as you don’t know what you are missing out on.

This is only one example but I just want to say that we serve a loving God, who like our earthly father outs rules in place for our benefit. He wants us to be safe, and when we decide that His rules are not worth following and we want to go out on our own that even then His rules will follow us. I was reading today about the prodigal son and when he was in the pig pen, feeding them corn it read he wanted to eat the corn cobs but no one gave him any. Why didn’t he just take them? It read like he was left alone to do this job, but I believe his father taught him not to steal and his teachings as a child kicked in and he wouldn’t steal even from the pigs.

So in saying all this, Remember that God isn’t here to make your life miserable with rules. He knows what’s best for you and has given us guidelines to live by, and if followed will provide us with wonderful things if we only open our eyes.

Dear Jesus, open my eyes to the wonders of your law. I trust you have my best interests at heart and are protecting me from evil. Thank you for everything you do for me. Amen