A Righteous Judge

Many of us living in the US today are worried about the state of our country and/or the amount of money we have compared to someone else. It’s hard not to worry and to compare ourselves to others. 

Something that comes to mind for me is that I need to stop judging myself and others based on their conduct because God is the righteous one who will judge the world.  This is what we see in today’s passage from Psalm 9—David says that the world needs a righteous judge. We also hear these exact words in Acts 17:31 more than a thousand years later, “For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”  God will judge the wicked based on what He views as wicked, not what we think.  

During this time of year I usually don’t buy my family members or people I love anything for Christmas because I like to remember the real meaning of Christmas. But God put my fiancé, a God fearing woman, in my life, and she has taught me that it is more blessed to give than to receive. God gave us the greatest gift that we celebrate at Christmas—Jesus. Jesus is the prime example of how we are to live at peace with others. When I am having a moment of judgment I need to remember where I came from and what God has brought me through to where I am today. 

I want to challenge you to pause the next time you are agitated when things aren’t going the way you want them to. Pray and ask God to direct your thoughts and really trust that God will bring justice in His way and His timing.    

• How does remembering God’s grace to you help you pause and trust His ability to bring justice when and if it is needed?

Nativity Building: Move Mary and Joseph and the donkey a little closer to the stable. Mary and Joseph were filled with JOY as the time for Jesus’ birth came closer. Move each of the Magi figures a little closer to the stable.