A Collision of Raindrops and Sunshine - Anita van der Elst

When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth. Genesis 9:16 ESV

As my husband and I drove out of a nearby hillside neighborhood, we saw it in the distance. The unmistakable arcs and colors of a double rainbow. But not a surprise to see since a sudden rain shower had come while the sun shone brightly at the same time. A collision of raindrops and sunshine. 

I wanted to capture a picture of it on my phone, but the foliage was too thick, so down the hill we went, chasing those rainbows. The result was a lovely image of two rainbows, one slightly fainter in vibrance, shining against a dark blue sky.

Reading this promise from God, it occurs to me that when I see the rainbow, he and I are seeing it at the same time, an activity we do together. We are in relationship. The rainbow draws my attention to him. 

God promised never to send another flood to punish wrongdoing. However, our sins remain a barrier between God and us. In paying for our sins by dying on the cross, Jesus made it possible for us to be in relationship with God. We are forgiven and washed clean. In rising again, Jesus defeated death forever. A collision of justice and grace.

Now, instead of seeing my sins, God sees me through Jesus. The light of Jesus shines from my heart, and because of Jesus, God promises eternal life in heaven with him forever. 

Make sure you have entered into that relationship with God through trusting in Jesus. 

Anita van der Elst finds joy in creating with words, believing God gifted her with the desire to do so. Married to her best friend, Edward, since 1976, she is a proud mom of four adult children and Oma to three of the most delightful grandchildren ever. Other joys in her life include bringing beauty to Facebook through photos she takes on her iPhone, exploring the state parks in the PNW, facilitating a small group of women, and participating in a Bible study.

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Justice for All - Karen Huffaker

But the Lord has been my defense, and my God the rock of my refuge. Psalm 94:22 NKJV

The classroom was quiet as students worked on their primary lessons. I was focused and minded my own business. Suddenly, Dick leaned over and kissed me. I promptly scolded him, but guess who got in trouble? Not Dick!

Our first-grade teacher blamed me for the disruption. As the principal’s wife, she was stricter than the other first-grade teacher. There was no one to defend me. I was sure a witness was at my table, but no one spoke up. The teacher directed me to stand behind the door for a time. Later, I could return to my seat. This was my earliest experience with fairness and justice, or lack thereof.

In the Old Testament, Joseph, son of Jacob, was wrongfully accused of an offense against Potiphar’s wife, then arrested and imprisoned. But God turned that situation around many years later, and Joseph was a blessing to the Israelites.

When life is unfair, where can we turn? Who can bring about truth and justice? Jesus is our saving defense, the rock of our refuge to whom we can turn.

We hear about situations when truth and fairness occur. We cheer on the little guy—glad he’s had a happy ending to his story and that justice prevailed despite resistance.

I applaud bold and vocal people who stand up for what is right, true, and good. I admire the ones who step out of the shadows and become heroes on the side of justice. There is right and wrong, true and false, and good and evil. 

In any circumstance, I know my true and faithful defense and refuge is God. I can trust in His promises. We can step up to the plate when we know those who are weak, infirm, forgotten, excluded, or destitute. We can be a voice for them and extend our support.

God will judge all things when we stand before His throne. I want to be on the side of righteousness, truth, and goodness. Make sure you are standing there, too. 

If you enjoyed this devotion, please share it with your friends.  

Karen Huffaker is a freelance Christian writer. She has taught children’s Sunday school and single mom’s Bible studies and written poetry. She is from the Deep South and loves reading Christian books, devotionals, genealogy adventures, fishing, and all things family. She is also passionate about her grandchildren’s sporting events. 

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A Short Watchtower - Autumn Wilson

I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint. Habakkuk 2:1 NIV

Our home almost killed my mom, and I was angry—but only because I looked on from a short watchtower. 

It took years after she became ill for us to uncover the pitch-black mold coating our insulation. We later discovered that health issues from mold had triggered the previous owners to sell the house to us—a detail neither they nor their realtor disclosed.

After pouring sweat, tears, and thousands of dollars into the house, we eliminated the pestilence and sold the house. For years, I scanned the horizon for even a spark of righteous judgment—one of the suit-clad lawyers from the billboards marching his away across our lawn with righteous indignation and a hefty check, perhaps. He never arrived. How could God watch while my mom suffered? How could he not punish the previous owners? 

Habakkuk, the prophet, asked God why he allowed his people to suffer injustice and violence from lawlessness. The Lord told the prophet that he planned to correct Judah by using the Chaldeans—a “ruthless and impetuous people.” 

Habakkuk complained again. How could God punish the sins of Judah while tolerating the evils of Chaldea? What judge allows a bank robber to chastise a petty thief? Whose court permits a murderer to condemn a trespasser? While standing atop his tower and scanning the horizon, the prophet demands an answer.

God assures the prophet he will punish the Chaldeans as well. Yet, the Lord doesn’t end his response with an itinerary of his judgment. Rather, he declares his sovereignty: “The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him” (2:20). 

We rightly ask God to exact justice. Yet, his justice extends beyond what we see in our short watchtowers. No matter how high we climb, we always fail to see God’s whole plan. I did. 

• Has your mom started telling people you stole her Floridian lawn flamingos?

• Has your catalytic converter disappeared?

• Has your family suffered harm from homeowners’ hiding information?

Pray for and pursue justice. But if God chooses to delay, trust him in the meantime. God’s justice will come like a raging fire—even if we never see the spark. 

Tweetable: Are you watching what God is doing in your life? 

Autumn Wilson is a writer and perpetual student of church history. She lives in Dallas, TX, where she studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. On any given day, you can find her staring at a blank Word document, wrangling third graders at church, furrowing her brows at Anselm, or creating homemade escape rooms. 

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Justice Will Prevail - Martin Wiles

For the Lord loves justice. Psalms 37:28 NLT

Although it only does so sporadically now, justice will one day reign supremely.

Examples of injustices abound. Justice is infringed upon when someone steals. Perhaps they are poor or are just too lazy to work for it. Either way, they take what belongs to someone else.

Justice hollers every time a woman or girl is raped. Child abuse flourishes, and justice is hampered in each case. Little ones who can’t fend off the fiends who do to them what never should be done. Spousal abuse blooms also. Whether physical or emotional or both, the abuse damages the psyche of the one who endures it, and once again justice is impinged upon.

When someone else gets the promotion I deserve, justice is obstructed. Especially if they got the promotion because they are the boss’s favorite or because of some quota that needs to be met. And when one gender makes less for doing the same job, justice is once again impeded.

Justice also takes a beating when politicians fail to keep the promises to the constituents who elected them.

The psalmist says God loves justice, but God certainly has a comical way of showing it. While love is the most common trait heard when referring to God, just might be a more appropriate characteristic when referring to His nature.

God loves justice, but free will explains why it’s not observed more consistently. God didn’t create robots in the beginning. Just as He gave angels the free will to rebel against Him (Lucifer being a case in point), so He also gave the same to humans. Free will allows us to infringe upon the justice He loves. But just because I don’t see justice displayed consistently and universally doesn’t mean God doesn’t desire for it to be. Or that He is powerless to make it happen.

God allows injustices in His master plan now, but one day justice will prevail universally and consistently. Sin will have no place on the new earth or in heaven. Satan—and all who represent his interests--will be eternally lost.

In the meantime, it is my responsibility to help justice spread. I can do this by setting an example of it through my daily actions. I can also help spread it by supporting and electing those who will represent it in political office.

Don’t get discouraged. God is in control, and justice will reign.

Tweetable: Pure justice will reign one day. 

Prayer: Father, we pray and work for the justice You want to prevail over the injustices we presently see.

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Christmas Justice - Martin Wiles

He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. Isaiah 9:7 NLT

“When you figure it out will you please let us know as soon as possible?” 

I heard my wife utter those words to our daughter while on the phone. I could hear the frustration in her voice and could imagine the same in my daughter’s voice. My wife was still trying to get her to nail down a date when we could all gather for our Christmas celebration. Time was drawing near, but she still hadn’t given us a definite answer. 

Divorce and remarriages have tripled our family with in-laws, step-children, step-grandchildren, and step everything else. Though we understand how difficult this makes it on our children to take their children to numerous family gatherings, we couldn’t help but feel we were being slighted.

Now instead of day long celebrations together, we have to settle for an hour here, a couple of hours there. Perhaps it isn’t fair…or just, but Christmas reminds me of what I often told my middle school students: “Life isn’t always fair.” They too—like me, are concerned with justice. If I gave too many homework assignments, projects, or pop quizzes, I was sure to hear, “That’s not fair.” 

Isaiah prophesied of a time when a child who would usher in justice would be born. He spoke of the coming Messiah whose birth is the reason we celebrate Christmas. Though the prophet said He would rule forever with fairness and justice, He was hung on a cross 33 years later. Doesn’t seem like much justice in that.  

But the old prophet envisioned a time farther down the road. Fairness and justice doesn’t reign completely now—and it certainly wasn’t fair that the Messiah had to endure what He did before and on the cross. The wheels of justice, however, were set in motion. 

The period Isaiah spoke of is yet in the future. The resurrected Christ will return and set all injustices right. Sin will be abolished forever, Satan will be cast into the eternal lake of fire, and a new heaven and a new earth will be ushered in. Here, Messiah will rule and reign with fairness and justice. Never again will I have to say, “Life isn’t always fair.” 

Take courage. Justice will one day reign supremely. 

Prayer: Father, we look forward to the day when You will reign supremely with justice. 

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