Righteous Judge [2 Thessalonians 1]

6For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,7and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed--for our testimony to you was believed.

I like to think of God as always being safe and loving, but the Bible makes it clear that He is anything but safe for those who do not believe in Him through Jesus. To them, He is the righteous judge "dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.". Therefore, if I am to have an intimate relationship with this God "of eternal destruction," I need to be able to embrace all of who He is. Otherwise, I am worshiping a caricature of God and not the one true God. Accepting the Sovereign Judge part of God is something I have to do by His grace. I can't, but He can. As I allow Him by His power to accept the harsh reality of the coming judgment and destruction, I begin to see the end result, peace in a future without turmoil and sin, a world where mankind can exist peacefully and joyfully with each other and with a holy God.

We praise You God for all of Your character. Cause us by Your grace to embrace and worship all of who You are so that we can correctly reflect Your nature in this world and make You known for who You really are.

Beth Warlick, 5/26/2009