Vindication!

Don't you hate injustice? Don't you hate it when you know a good person who just cannot seem to get a break? You look at their life and one thing after another seems to happen. Just over and over, obstacle after obstacle. "The Man" is always keeping them down!

How about when that is you? You have a co-worker who does nothing but socialize all day while you carry the load. You have a teammate that monopolizes the coaches time, appearing to be seeking additional coaching, when all they really want is that coach's favor. Brown-nosers. Boot-lickers. Rump-kissers. You know who I'm talking about. They front their expertise. They "show off" and then have you do the work. And these folks are everywhere. They are in school as we're growing up. They are in college. They are in our first jobs. They are in our churches. They are in the neighborhood associations. Everywhere you go, any time you want to become involved, you will encounter them either directly or you will witness unfair treatment - injustice.

I often look at the world in which we live and find myself asking the same kinds of questions those who oppose Christianity ask: "Where is God?" When the baby is lying in NICU because her mother's boyfriend abused her and now they are discussing pulling the plug. When the woman who was healthy her entire life receives the Stage IV diagnosis. When the family who has already lost one child faces that possibility of losing another. When there are families living in poverty even though they truly do want to work and earn their keep. When there are countries who have people living in and sifting through trash dumps. When there are countries who have government leaders who hoard all of the aid collected from around the world, pour it into their palaces, while their people starve to death. When drug makers make drugs to help one ailment, yet it causes another - and another medication is required. When one who says they follow Christ, yet they judge anyone who isn't like them.

I'm sure we could add to the list well into the early morning hours. But this gives us an idea and something to consider for the rest of this blog.

In reading the Bible, during my own self-study, and listening to many credible teachers preach about the different stories within, I've noticed several things. For this blog, I want to focus on one of those.

God used those who suffered injustice.

One of my favorite people in the Bible is Job. Job was an unfortunate soul who suffered at the hand of a bet between God and Satan. Satan was confident he could torment Job to the point Job would pretty much turn from God. God knew differently. And God allowed Satan to run the test with only one condition: Satan could not take Job's life. That poor man suffered unimaginable loss. His family. His possessions. His wealth. His prestige. His relationships with friends and family. His health. Even his own wife encouraged him to curse God and die. But he didn't do it. He didn't understand. But he didn't curse God. He cursed his birth. But not God. Through all of this, God restored Job and blessed him with all that he lost and more.

Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery as they were jealous of his position and the favoritism their father gave him. He endured false accusation of attempted rape when he resisted his master's wife and found himself in prison. Yet, eventually, God restored him. God elevated him to second in command of Egypt. He was positioned to not only save a people, but also his very own family and he was reconciled to his brothers and his father.

David was nothing more than a shepherd boy. The youngest and considered the least in his family. When the prophet came to anoint the next King of Israel as instructed by God, he wasn't even considered for the meeting. He killed a giant everyone feared. The King at the time wanted his life. And he had to flee into hiding. Yet, God elevated him to King.

Jesus was born into a poor family. He didn't even have proper accommodations for His birth. The King wanted Him dead before He even became a boy. He was rejected by His family and the people in His home town. His Jewish leaders sought to have Him killed, and succeeded. Yet the Father resurrected Him. And He sits at the Father's right hand on the throne of Heaven.

Isaiah 61:7-8 (New International Version)

7 Instead of their shame
my people will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
they will rejoice in their inheritance;
and so they will inherit a double portion in their land,
and everlasting joy will be theirs.

8 "For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery and iniquity.
In my faithfulness I will reward them
and make an everlasting covenant with them.

This isn't the only set of scripture God promises to restore us. It isn't the only set of verses where He promises to "set the record straight".

Do you feel like you can't handle another wrong? Do you feel burdened and weak? Do you feel like you never get a break? Do you keep doing the right thing, keep making good decisions, yet continue getting overlooked for every promotion, every job opportunity? Do you feel like Cinderella? Do you feel like Job? Joseph? David? Jesus? Are you beat down and simply over it?

John 16:33 (New International Version)

33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

We are going to experience trouble here. Things aren't always going to be fair. We're going to find ourselves on that short-end of the stick. We're going to draw the short straw. We're going to work 12 hours without a thank you. We're going to do things without any recognition whatsoever. It will happen.

But TAKE HEART!! Jesus has overcome the world! And God is a God of vindication! He is our Redeemer! He is our Provider! He is a God of Restoration!! And your day is coming. If things are getting tougher, it's the enemy wanting you to give up. It's the enemy wanting you to turn away from God. It's the enemy wanting you to forget your calling and forget that God is faithful and that God will redeem you.

Take heart, my friends.... Vindication is around the corner.

Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.