A Time for Everything

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die... a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance." Ecc. 3:1-2, 4.

No Justice. If Justice is a blind woman holding balanced scales and a sword to be certain that justice is swift, fair and impartial, why do tragic things happen to good people? Administer Justice has tragically lost two good friends and volunteers in the last few months - Daisy Cuilty-Beltran (19) in November and Steven Price (54) last week. Steve's wife Linda is our executive assistant and he left behind two adult sons, Bryan and David.

Which of us does not cry out with Job, "Though I cry, 'I've been wronged!' I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice. He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; he has shrouded my path in darkness." Job 19:7-8. It is easy to get trapped in the darkness of injustice. Job had lost his family, his health, and his wealth and he could not understand why.

Know Justice. Ultimately Justice cannot be found in a blind woman, but only in He who can give sight to the blind - Jesus Christ. We all want answers to the why, but God answers with a who. This was his response to Job: "Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God's and can your voice thunder like his?" Job 40:8-9.

No Peace. Isaiah picked up on Job's cry of injustice in Isaiah 59. There Isaiah proclaimed: "The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks in them will know peace. So justice is far from us and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows. Like the blind we grope along the wall feeling our way like men without eyes. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong we are like the dead. We all growl like bears; we moan mournfully like doves. We look for justice but find none; for deliverance but it is far away." Isa. 59:8-11.

I have counseled many people in extreme pain facing serious challenges. Often I see these individuals trapped by the pain so that they cannot experience peace. Anger, like a growling bear, or sorrow, like a mournful dove, blinds them and though they look for light all is darkness. Though they search for deliverance it is far away. There is no peace.

There are no easy answers. Job's so called "friends" were no friends at all by accusing him or telling him to just get over it, let it go, and move on. That is not helpful. Rather than try and offer help they should have offered hope. The truth is the problems many people face are profound, the pain is palpable, but the hope found in the promises of God are possessible.

Know Peace. Isaiah went on to write: "The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, and he was appalled that there was no one to intercede; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him." Isa. 59:16. The creator of the universe is appalled at injustice and He interceded on our behalf. As Isaiah wrote earlier, "Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear to dull to hear." Isa. 59:1. He hears your cries and understands your pain. He interceded by sending his only son to die on our behalf. "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering...Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows... he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his wounds we are healed." Isa. 53: 3-5.

By his wounds we are healed. "In him was life, and that life was the light of men." John 1:4. The way out of the darkness of pain, sorrow and injustice is through the light of he who came to give us life. "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Jn. 10:10. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. I will come back and take you to be with me that you may also be where I am." Jn. 14:1-3. "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" Jn. 11:25-26.

Do you believe this? John 11:35 tells us Jesus wept over the death of his friend Lazarus and there is a time to mourn. But we should not allow the darkness of death or despair rob us of the peace that is promised through a personal relationship with the person of Jesus Christ. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts by troubled and do not be afraid... I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world." Jn. 14:27, !6:33.

Rest in Peace. So "come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls." Mt. 11:28-29. Rest in the strong arms of the Lord. He alone provides the peace your soul yearns for and he alone provides light out of the darkness of death and despair. In this world we have many troubles and there are no easy answers to the difficult questions. The challenge is to take our focus off of the inanswerable why and instead focus on the answerable who is in control, who has overcome the world, who has promised peace and rest for our souls. We mourn the loss of our good friends even as we rejoice that they knew the Lord. May they, and we, rest in peace with our Prince of Peace.

If you do not know this peace and would like to know more about how you can experience peace even in the midst of pain and sorrow please give me a call at 847-844-1100. We want you to know what it means to experience True Peace.

Posted by Bruce D. Strom, Executive Director Administer Justice, 201 Penny Ave., Ste. 420 East Dundee, IL 60118. To learn more about Administer Justice visit www.administerjustice.org.