God’s timing is perfect and can be nothing less because he is perfect. I don’t know about you, but this is something I sometimes struggle with; God’s perfect timing. I suppose it’s one of the ways that I daily bear my cross. By submitting and thanking God for his perfect timing. One of the areas that we might have trouble with when it comes to submitting to God’s perfect timing is in the realm of justice. When we see injustice or we are wronged, we want justice now. In the United States, we have the sixth amendment that stipulates that a person has the right to a speedy trial. This tells me several things. One of those things is that we believe justice should be seen right away. The innocent should be set free and the guilty punished. 

For the most part, when we think about speedy trials, we’re focused on the part about the guilty being punished more than we are on the part about the innocent being set free. Unless we are the ones on trial. Then, if we’re guilty, we want to be shown mercy. 

I started thinking about justice today when I read these verses from 2 Thessalonians 1.

God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 (NIV)

These verses tell me that human justice isn’t necessarily justice. Sometimes the guilty go free, and sometimes the innocent are found guilty. Sometimes there’s never a trial here on earth for the crimes committed. Now, I’m certain that we all can think of times when someone has done wrong to us, and perhaps we’ve cried out to the Lord for justice. Well, these verses from 2 Thessalonians assure me that justice will happen. Not just for those people, but for all people. In God’s time. 

Let’s, for a moment, imagine that justice was done how we might want it to be done. Someone wrongs us and is immediately punished for it by God. If this were the case, I don’t imagine there’d be many of us left since we’ve all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. So let’s say that these punishments only go out to the “really bad people.” You know, the murderers, rapists, and those who drive very slowly in the fast lane. In other words, people who are not us. For example, someone like the Apostle Paul. 

In Acts 7, we read about Stephen and Saul. We learn that Stephen was “dragged him out of the city and [the men] began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul” (Acts 7:58 NIV). Some might say that Saul (Paul) only held their coats and didn’t part in the murder of Stephen. However, Paul tells us later, “when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him” (Acts 22:20). We see that Paul was just as guilty of the murder of Stephen as those who threw the stones. 

What if Paul had been immediately struck down by the Lord. In what we would have called “justice?” Where would we be today if this man who was the Apostle to the Gentiles was never allowed to repent and be baptized? 

Even though we all want justice for those who have wronged us, we should remember that there are people out there who we’ve wronged, but God gave us the chance to be saved. To turn away from a life of sin and embrace the life He’s given to us.

Do you know God? God knows you, and he loves you. He sees you as significant because you are. No one is insignificant to Him. He’s with you today, and he wants you to know him. Jesus died for your sins and mine so we could be free of guilt, be free from death, and live eternally with him. Eternal salvation is just a prayer away. 

Pray this prayer with me to accept the gift of salvation today:

Lord Jesus, forgive me for all my sins. I repent from my ways. Wash me in your blood and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I believe that you died on the cross, were buried, and on the third day, God the Father raised you from the dead. Right now, Lord Jesus, I open the door to my heart, and I receive you into my heart as my Lord and personal Savior. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, then congratulations! You are on the first step of a brand new life. Allow me to be the first to welcome you to my family, the family of God. There are abundant resources available online for new Christians. You can visit here for more information on what to do next. You can also leave me a comment, and I’ll do my best to help you on the next step of this incredible journey.

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