« Martin Buber and Abraham Heschel: 20th Century Jewish Prophets -- by Ron Dart | Main | Collected Works of George Grant, Vol. 4 -- book review by Ron Dart »

March 04, 2009

Comments

Brad

If by "Justice" we mean something like, "God's active wrath against horrendous injustice," such justice is scarce indeed. In fact, we might say that if God is wrathful, he's not very good (or consistent) at it.

If by "Justice" we mean something like, "Things being made right," then the ball is in our court, and we're even worse at it than God ... and sometimes in His name.

The only Justice I can really point to is the Cross, where things are made right as God takes injustice upon Himself and trumps it, not by slaughtering the unjust, but by forgiving.

An explanation of the Cross doesn't not do the trick. Only a vision of it. Worth a try.

Eric H Janzen

I think that justice in this world is a fleeting thing, a concept that is foreign to the world as System. Certainly the 'world' has language for justice, but it lacks any real vitality when it comes to justice, thus so many cynics are proven correct when a drunk driver that kills someone receives a sentence that is an insult to the victim and their families for example. But there is a different justice that is not of this world/system. The justice of God is a far deeper and much more far reaching power than any 'justice' we can hope for in this world. So, while you may not believe that justice exists in this world (and believe me they cynic in me wants to agree) it does not mean that justice does not exist.

Gloria Roberts

Brad
Your sharing on New Day and this blog has impacted me more than I can begin to describe - I have spent the last five years raising Jonathan, our grandson who survived the loss of his family, and learning how to let go of SUCH an overdeveloped sense of responsibility - I really thought I could make a difference - I am seeing now that it is all Papa, Jesus and the Holy Spirit and I am finally letting myself be loved and letting go. I'm wondering if i could also be a prototype for restoration...... a friend, Gloria Roberts

bj

Hi Andy,

I wish the momentary mountain-top aha! moment I had when I wrote the article had transfigured me somehow past the need to climb the mountain. I guess it was a hopeful vision of where we're heading, with no promise of shortcuts. I find myself looking up now from the base of a cliff that I have no energy to climb. Baby steps.

A friend of mine recently distinguished between forgiveness, which happens in a moment, and cleansing, which relates to these horrid processes by which the grime and infections are scrubbed from our shredded flesh.

Okay, now I'm just being morbid. But let me ask you this. What if you and I could be proto-types for restoration? Even from my place of hiding, I mean it when I say that I love you,

bj

anns

Andy... Andy... Andy

peace

andymac

As a man who betrayed Jesus by trying to be Him I can testify to the dark place we get plunged into when we try and take His place. You try and be a saviour and form the world in your own image and the results are chaos and fear . It is a dark place of torment where there are no words to express the grief. Thanks Brad for showing the way home. I long to find it also.

Eric H Janzen

Do you not know? Have you not heard? My Father does not grow weary. He gives passion to the willing heart, and even if the youth get tired and faint, strength will come to those who wait.

I know its a psalm, but to me they are lyrics from Kevin Prosch's song 'They that Wait'. I often sing these words for the very reason you are talking about my friend. I imagine the big bad ugly world as a person and beside that person is the Enemy and together they are trying to overwhelm me. Then I sing to them in as defiant a voice as I can: "Do YOU not know? Have YOU not heard? MY Father does NOT grow weary." That puts me in a strong place in the Spirit because all the focus is now on Father God. Yes I am weak, but this is not about my weakness, it is about my Father's strength. Then I pray my heart to be willing and I wait on Father to fill me with passion and strength. I have also learned the hard way around that I am not a Savior, Jesus is the Savior and I am waaaay better off letting him fill that role.

carol

thanks Brad.
words needed by this heart too.

Deb

Thank you Brad :)

Paul Rivas

Great, now I have Under Pressure and Ice Ice Baby going through my head ;)
I've been going through a similar thought process http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=65331495235&h=mls5P&u=P8T7G
I've been led again and again to John 15:9.
Thanks for sharing.

Eric B

A few years ago I had the difficult privilege of performing the funeral of a young girl who died suddenly and unexpectedly of massive heart failure. What I remember most from that time is the Holy Spirit speaking clearly to me and through me that what mattered was not that Jesus had the answers to the questions in our hearts and minds but that Jesus IS the answer to those questions.

Brad, thanks (yet again) for being transparent enough in your dark times to reflect some Light into my dark times.

Oh how he loves US...

adit

it is a wonder that surrender can be so simple and so difficult at the same time.

thank you - this feels like a gentle and not so gentle push in the right direction.

musing..., is surrender a direction or a destination?
Blessings

The comments to this entry are closed.