"You get'em God!"

Pain, fear and rejection welled up within Jeremiah as he prayed bitterly against his enemies:

"...Forgive not their iniquity, nor blot out their sin from your sight...deal with them in the time of your anger." -Jeremiah 18:23 

It's not a particularly gracious prayer, but the sentiment is one that most of us have probably felt ourselves at some point. I'm guessing you have either seen or experienced one of the following:

• She is left holding the fragments of a broken marriage while he plays the fool, leaving town with another woman.
• A faithful employee is given the "pink slip" just months before he is vested in his retirement.
• A bride is left at the altar while her cold footed groom runs for the door.
• A pastor pours his heart and soul into a congregation, only to be betrayed and run out of town in humiliation.

And on and on it goes. Embarrassment. Anger. Humiliation. Fear of the future. Powerlessness. Then, in desperation, the aggrieved party prays, "God get'em." 

Certainly God doesn't give any sin a pass. All sins will be judged in time, but what He really wants is repentance on the part of the offender, not the administration of justice. Fortunately for all of us, God's patience far exceeds ours. In fact, a few chapters later in the Book of Jeremiah, God is describing the coming "New Covenant" that is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Using Jeremiah's own words from the prayer we just read (note the underlined words), God says,

"Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, ... And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." -Jeremiah 31:31, 34 

So if you've been hurt, embarrassed or otherwise mistreated by some rotten jerk, I get it. I really do. You'd like to strike back, or better yet, you'd like for God to administer a bit of justice on your behalf.

Here's the thing, the "New Covenant" that Jesus purchased with his death and resurrection make equal provision for anyone who will turn to Him. It's even available to the dirty rotten jerk who did you wrong. 

I know. I know. It's not an easy thing to do, but rather than pray a "God get'em" prayer the way Jeremiah did, it's better to ask God to bring the offender to a place of repentance. Jesus said, 

"...Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." [Luke 6:27 ESV]

So, you may ask, how am I supposed to "love...do good...bless...pray for" that rotten crummy person? Honestly, it usually takes a little time. Ultimately Christians do the right thing because that is what Jesus told them to do, not because they feel like doing it. 

So if you are still experiencing the sting of a bad event in your life, please, let me give you a little direction on how to pray. Ask the Lord to bring your offender to a place of repentance. God is still a God of miracles and your prayer for that person just might make an eternal difference in their life.

Go ahead. Do the right thing.

Be careful who you pick on...

For several days I have felt compelled to spend my study time in the book of Lamentations. To be honest, it falls among the list of Old Testament books that I consider to be largely "neglected" these days. As it's name indicates, the author is lamenting the destruction of his beloved country and city. Some of the saddest, heart rending verses you will ever read are found in this book. Judah had repeatedly sinned, and God had allowed their enemies to overrun them. The author grieves that his beautiful, proud people has been reduced to squalor and starvation...

...then, somewhere in chapter three, his grief turns to repentance and repentance turns to hope.

I have heard people say (in jest), "'Vengeance is mine,' says the Lord, but I am his tool!"    Uh, yeah. You don't want to be that. Here is the thing.As illustrated in this book, God will allow outside forces to overrun his people when is call to repentance has been ignored, but the purpose of the destruction is still repentance.

When that repentance does occur, his children are forgiven and their sins are forgotten. The child who has repented is instantly restored to his favor.

So when God then looks on his beloved child and sees an enemy abusing that favored child, how do you think God is going to react? That's right it isn't going to go well for the one doing the mistreating.

So here is the take away.
1) If God is subjecting you to his discipline, repent! He doesn't hate you, he has your best interest at heart.
2) If you see someone who is suffering as a result of their sin, do not jump on the "they deserve what they are getting" band wagon. Instead, be ready with a compassionate heart to help and restore those that God has disciplined. Someday it may be you.

Galatians 6:1 "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted."
Matthew 5:4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."