47 Days of Justice 2024 - Day 28: Injustice leaves much suffering and sorrow in its wake.

“Their father recognized it immediately. “Yes,” he said, “it is my son’s robe. A wild animal must have eaten him. Joseph has clearly been torn to pieces!” Then Jacob tore his clothes and dressed himself in burlap. He mourned deeply for his son for a long time. His family all tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “I will go to my grave mourning for my son,” he would say, and then he would weep.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭37:33-35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Suffering is ubiquitous in our sin-sick world. Basically, everywhere you look, everywhere you go, suffering and grief can be found. Sometimes that suffering is our own familiar foe and grief our constant companion.

It seems that the sadness and suffering are magnified when resulting from someone else’s selfish or careless action or inaction, completely preventable if not for someone’s disregard.

As my sons were growing up, when there was some sort of calamity going on, I would ask them, “Are you solution or problem?” I also helped them to understand that whether they were actively responsible for the bad situation (problem), the least they could do is to not contribute to the bad situation. And preferably, they could contribute to making the bad situation better (solution).

Friend, when considering injustice and the resultant suffering, we must ask ourselves that same question.

Of course, it’s easy to see how the murderer, the thief, the slave trader, etc., are contributing to the problem of injustice and heaping fuel on the fire of human suffering. However, it’s also easy to be blind to our own contribution to the injustices that bring suffering and grief to so many.

In today’s portion of Joseph’s story we see that his brothers, having dispatched him and “covered” their crime, have now sucked Jacob into their web of deceit. Seeing the bloody garment, Jacob assumes the worst: Joseph has been killed! His grief is beyond consolation.

It’s hard to imagine that Jacob’s own sons watched him day after day, year after year, suffering in sorrow, without coming clean about what they had done. But you see, covering their own backsides, was much more important than an old man’s grief.

Yes, there is much suffering and misery in this world. As children of God, our responsibility is to make sure that we aren’t contributing to the suffering and grief by our action or inaction. Additionally—as much as is in our control—we must work to ameliorate the suffering and grief of others.

Sadly, suffering, misery, and grief—the result of injustice or otherwise—will be with us until Jesus comes to rule and reign. You see, only He can set everything right.

I’ll leave you with this:

“I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.””

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

#resolveforhim #47DaysOfJudgement