Justice Issues

Well I am really disappointed! I was certain that Michael Jackson was as guilty as sin of child molestation and then he turns around gets an aquital! Is there no justice in the world? Then I read in the paper recently where a jury convicted Ray Killen of manslaughter from a crime he apparently committed some 41 years ago. Either there is no justice or the wheels of justice turn slower and slower!
Now, I am not a fan at all of Michael Jackson. I quit listening to his music some time ago. And I am certainly not a proponent of the KKK and I'm quite sure that Ray Killen is getting what has been a long-time-coming to him! (Although, it seems a bit futile to convice an 80 year old-I mean he's most likely not long for this world as it is, don't you think?). But I don't want to think about justice in classical terms of "getting what you deserve." I would much rather think about justice in more theological terms. I think we need to consider justice in the context of the absolute righteousness of God. Yes, I mean the God of the Israelites who sometimes sanctioned war and death in His Law. Remember Him? He's the same God that we Christian profess to follow and serve today.
True justice is served up when we take the crap in our lives that keeps us from being God-like and let God bury it, as Audio Adrenaline says "on the ocean floor." When we allow our heavenly father to strip us of the filthy rags we call our own "righteousness" and replace it with the unmerited Grace of Jesus' love and life, then WE become "JUSTIFIED." This is God's style of Justice!
But be careful! Don't confuse God's JUSTICE for God's JUDGEMENT! Make no mistake about it, every single last one of us (including Michael Jackson, Ray Killen, you and me!) will be JUDGED by God in the end. And I for one am grateful that God's judgement is always sure and right and fair. I'm also convinced that the faith I have in God in God's son, Jesus Christ will be sufficient grounds for God to forgive me and let me live with my Creator forever. Look, if you don't have this assurance or if you just don't know what the heck I'm talking about, let me encourage you to try to find out about it. It won't make you perfect, but you will enjoy being forgiven! til next time...
methmusician

How I Hate Christmas

Well, ok, I don't really hate Christmas...I hate the commercialization of it! Now I know that the Christian tradition of celebrating Christmas actually grew out of pagan sacramental practices. But I also know and am convinced that the nature of God is to take stuff that's bad and make it good. So why not take pagan practices centered around the winter solitice and have a church holiday?
But I think our culture goes too far when it comes to Christmas consumerism. I remember going into a local department store in late August and seeing all the Christmas wrapping paper and ornaments out! Christmas is obviously big business in retail. And I like buying and giving (and receiving) presents as much as the next guy. But when the true meaning of the season, (i.e. the advent of God into the world in Christ) is so smothered by buying, selling and greed, then I think we've gone a little too far.
Even in church we are sometimes hardpressed to really fully appreciate the epiphany because we are so dog-gone BUSY! I hope that you will join me in a simple prayer that we will stop and think about the real reason we celebrate this Holy holiday. Let us not forget that Christ came for every person to have an opportunity to experience reall life in God through Him. JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON. Let's make our hearts a modern day Bethlehem where Christ can be born over and over again!
Have a Great Christmas!
methmusician

PS I hate shopping, too.