Justice = Mercy

I know that I've written about this concept before elsewhere, but its been revealed to me in new ways this week.

My prayer lately is that God would deal justly with me. (In my defense, it didn't process to me what this could potentially mean while I was praying it.) For me, while praying this, it had 2 meanings. First that where I have been wronged I would be justified. But also where I have done wrong, that I would be justified.

I have developed a new level of the fear of the Lord, I have to say. The idea of coming before an incomprehensibly holy, righteous, perfect God with my faults, failures and shortcomings wide open is enough to make me shake in my shoes.

And this is what God told me yesterday; His justice is His mercy. The punishment for whatever I have done wrong is already paid. So when I am asking Him for justice, He points to Jesus. His justice is complete when found in the merciful sacrifice of Christ. Because of this, I can reasonably expect to be forgiven by my spiritual siblings. But also, in that note, I also must forgive them for the wrongs they have done against me. Its like the story of the unforgiving servant.

All this is fairly basic, but to me it is profound. How good is our God that He, in all His holiness and righteousness and perfection would send His holy, righteous, perfect Son to take on our punishment? How can we do anything but praise Him wholly and for always in response?

I guess that's all I've got for today.

Me off.