It's God Compassionate Choice

"Today's Devotion" For June 16, 2005

Read: Jonah 4:1-11; Romans 9:14-26

IT'S GOD'S COMPASSIONATE CHOICE

"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." (Rom. 9:15)

A few days ago the media "flavor of the year" celebrity trial came to an end. Michael Jackson was declared "Not Guilty" by a jury on ten criminal counts. Most of them were felonies. The trial had been in the news on a daily basis. Mr. Jackson had been "raked over the coals" by the late night comedians, people from all over discussed the pros and cons of the case, some predicting acquittal, others a conviction. The District Attorney trying the case tried to prove Michael Jackson's behavior to be that of a "pedophile," while the defense was arguing that he was only allowing young boys to sleep in his bed to provide them with security and safety. At the end of this long, drawn out affair, I suppose some people are relieved it's over and the result was in Michael's favor. At the same time I'm confident that many others are of the belief that he got away with criminal activity.

Did the verdict surprise me? No. I expected he would be acquitted because the burden of proof for the prosecution was so narrow and their evidence tainted by prior bad acts on the part of some of the accusers. Of course the next question is, "Do you think he is guilty?" to which I have to reply, "I don't know." What I do believe, however, is that this is a person in need of mercy and grace. I'm convinced that he's in need of emotional help. It seems as if he's never grown up; that his friendship with these young boys is the kind of friendship young boys have with each other. It's almost as if this grown man has never gotten beyond being ten or twelve years old. What's more, I wonder if he's not looking for love and acceptance from others through what others call "bizarre behavior."

All around us we see the ravages of Sin upon the human spirit and the human existence. People mistreat one another all the time. Men, women, children, and the elderly are regularly mistreated and abused by people all over the nation. Rather than treating people with compassion, showing them respect, and upholding their dignity, we often find that just the opposite is true. It's a question of putting the needs of others ahead of ourselves. Sadly, the very nature of Sin in our lives leads us to put our own self-interest ahead of the needs of others. Often, even when faced with the despair and depression of others, people are prone to ignoring those feelings and heaping further pain and sorrow upon those in need of compassion and love.

Jonah is a terrific example of how we don't want to be when it comes to God's compassion and love for sinners. While Jonah preached God's anger and judgment toward the sin of the people of Nineveh, he really didn't want them to repent and be saved. His own personal feeling was that they were guilty of evil and wickedness and deserving of God's wrath. When they repented and turned back to God, God had compassion on them and didn't destroy them. What a great day! What a reason to rejoice! Yet, Jonah didn't rejoice. He was upset. He didn't believe the people of Nineveh worthy of redemption - of God's mercy and compassion. It's a trap we fall into ourselves - just think of how people felt when O.J. Simpson was acquitted, Robert Blake was acquitted, and, now, Michael Jackson.

Were these people guilty of the crimes of which they were accused? Only God knows. He will administer His just and holy judgment in His time, in His way, and according to His mercy and compassion in Jesus Christ. It strikes me that all three of the aforementioned persons, celebrities all, are in their own right really very tragic figures. Perhaps they are in need of the same compassion God has given you and me in Jesus. What do you think? Can we leave their judgment or salvation up to God's compassionate choice and seek their good as God gives it for all of us in Christ Jesus? What a wonderful way to live out God's compassion for us!

Prayer: Father, another "trial du jour" has completed its media scrutiny and curried the intense interest of a large portion of the public. Some people are upset because there was an acquittal, while others rejoice in that acquittal. At the very heart of the situation are individuals, the accused and his accusers, who are in need of Your love and compassion, Your mercy and grace. From all accounts it doesn't appear as if You are an important part of any of their lives. I pray, Father, that You would bring healing to each of them and lead those who surround them to treat them with dignity and respect, truly loving and caring about them. Bring people into their lives who can share, as did Jonah, Your anger toward sin but Your compassion and forgiveness for those who repent and turn to You. Help me to pray for people everywhere, no matter who they are, that they might also hear Your call to repentance and receive Your compassion and forgiveness through faith in Jesus; in Whose precious and most holy name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.