“Give justice to the poor and the
orphan; uphold the right of
the oppressed and the
destitute” (Psalm 82:3, NLT).
Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord, Jesus
Christ!
During this season of spring, the season of hope, I
mean, the season of Christ’s Resurrection, I was so caught up with the word
“justice” because everyone was talking about it. “Justice!” Isn’t that
wonderful if the justice will truly prevail? However, the more we talk about
it, the more the world looks like moving backward with cruel wars among nations
and sharp divisions among people in the nation. We are wondering why?
Now, we know that we are not the only one wondering
about it because, several thousand years ago, Asaph wrote a song about justice
like this…
“Give justice to the poor and the
orphan; uphold the right of
the oppressed and the
destitute” (Psalm 82:3, NLT).
But, at the end of his song, he asked God to do
something.
“Rise up, O God, and judge the earth, for all the nations belong to you”
(Psalm 82:8, NLT).
In other words, he was looking for the day of judgement
when he talked about justice which means the day of a very sharp division
between the righteous and the wicked for reward and punishment. Sounds harsh
though to certain degree… truly justice cannot happen without judgement.
However, it is ironic. We tend to disdain judgement as we value justice. But,
is that possible?
Anyway, a question comes: who is the judge? We know that,
depending on whom the judge is, the world can find the true peace and joy or
total chaos and destruction, I mean depending on what we are looking for: my
will be done on earth or God’s will be done on earth. Is that true to you all?
About 600 years before Christ, Israel people were trying
to bring “their will be done on earth” instead of “God’s will be done on
earth.” They became stubborn refusing to listen to God but God continued to
call them back sending prophets to save them. However, they did not listen.
Then, Israel fell and people were deported to Babylon as captives.
Prophet Ezekiel brought God’s message to them in
Babylon. Ironically, people wanted justice for their nation, the message of
hope and comfort; however, God’s message was about the judgement. People did
not received it well at first but as they realized that “God is the true
judge,” God’s message began to change from judgement to the message of comfort
and hope, a message of spring, I mean people were able to see the message of hope
in Babylon!
One day, Ezekiel was carried away by the Spirit of the
Lord to a valley filled with dry bones scattered everywhere across the ground.
Then the spirit of the Lord asked him, “Son of man, can these bones become
living people again?” What do you think? Could those dry bones become living
people again? According to the book of Ezekiel, it did so.
“Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley.
The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons…
Then skin formed to cover their bodies… and breath
came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their
feet-a great
army!” (Ezekiel 37:7, 8 & 10, NLT).
It was like what happened on the day of Pentecost two
thousand years ago in Jerusalem. And it was the beginning of God’s true justice
prevailing starting from the church as the believers carried the word of God
for eternal judgement and justice.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, do you feel like a dry
bone in the valley? Then, would you be a part of this great army with the power
of the Holy Spirit from this month so that God’s justice truly prevail among us
beginning from me, from our family, from our church and from our
community?
So, in this month of May, a season of spring, I would
like to invite you to join us for this very special journey of dry bones coming
to alive for God’s justice. Join us!
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Kyochul
