I've been on hiatus since returning from Amsterdam. Post-vacation depression plus the quarter-end close (accounting lingo) means I just haven't the heart or the time for the blog. But last weekend, I went to a church conference. Sort of like a revival. I was asked to say a few words on Sunday morning, so I decided I would turn it into a blog.
The conference had a theme: Christ the Mercy Minister - Micah 7:18
I found this out weeks in advance so I had time to prepare. I opened up my Holy Bible app on my phone and tapped it to Micah 7:18 and it said:
Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love. (NASB)
And I was like: I got nothing.
So I read all of Micah. I still had nothing. At least nothing that was worthwhile. God is merciful. This is known. Why is this a big deal, Micah? Why are you so shocked, Micah? And it was kind of like Micah (or God...or my subconscious) said back to me: Why aren't you?
Hmmm.
Last month, there was a horrible shooting at a church in Charleston, South Carolina. We all heard about it. Everyone was shaken. It was terrible. But then the families spoke publicly, declaring that they forgave the shooter. And honestly...I was shocked. It was simply too soon. And though mercy and forgiveness is stereotypically expected of Christians, in our humanity we often fail here and wouldn't fault those families for holding a grudge. We wouldn't think it strange if they hated the shooter, or if they cultivated a seed of bitterness that grew into a hatred for him. Is it Christ-like? No. Is it human? Yes. When this case has its day in court, many will call for the death penalty. Many will want this person to pay. Is that mercy? No. Is it justice? By most legal and civil codes...yes!
Justice.
It's a beautiful word. The idea of justice creates some sense of balance, fairness, and rightness in this chaotic, topsy-turvy world we live in. Justice is good...but justice is merely expected.
But God doesn't do "mere" things. This is why Micah is so shocked and astonished, because Micah had a mere expectation of justice. The entire book of Micah up to this point describes how wretched and BAD the people are:
The godly person has perished from the land, and there is no upright person among men. All of them lie in wait for bloodshed; each of them hunts the other with a net. Concerning evil, both hands do it well...Do not trust in a neighbor; do not have confidence in a friend. From her who lies in your bosom guard your lips. For son treats father contemptuously, daughter rises up against her mother, daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own household.
- Michah 7:2-6 (excerpts)
Everyone is BAD. Real bad. Trust no one. "Hide yo kids, hide yo wife." And I love Micah, because he's not just sitting in judgment of bad people, but even he (as the prophet of God) counts himself worthy of only justice:
I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him... Micah 7:9
He will bear the indignation of the Lord. He says I've done wrong and I'll pay for it. But then, in the same breath he starts talking about God bringing him out of darkness and into the light. He starts talking about God shepherding the people. He starts talking about forgiveness and deliverance for the same people who he just declared were expert evildoers.
Which is why Micah is so flabbergasted: Who is a God like You?
What kind of God lets the criminal go free?
When I was studying for my message I had that exact thought: What kind of God lets the criminal go free? And then this verse popped into my mind:
...he [Pilate] went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him. But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release for you the King of the Jews?” So they cried out again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a robber. - John 18:38-40
Barabbas was a robber!
A criminal. And he was exchanged for Jesus. The people thought they orchestrated Barabbas' release. But God had already ordained that Jesus would take his place! Both naturally and supernaturally. Both literally and figuratively. The crime for which (by justice) Barabbas was about to pay, he side-stepped on account of mercy.
He deserved justice...but he got mercy.
Likewise, on the cross, Jesus is positioned next to another criminal. And as that criminal hangs there, dying...Jesus frees him too! (Luke 23:39-43)
It is only fitting that the first recipients of Gods grace and mercy, through the death of Jesus on the cross, are hardened criminals. These people aren't wrongly accused. They did these bad things! We DO bad things! And we often think: you do the crime, you do the time. But no! This helps us face our own criminality against a holy and righteous God and have a praise because we get to go free!
And why does God do this? Why does He release the criminals? It's not that we're "getting over." It's because God delights in unchanging love. Unchanging. God is not sometimesy. He doesn't throw me over when I commit a crime. He releases me. Over and over again. Because His love trumps justice. His love trumps balance. His love trumps your sense of "rightness."
Love wins. Mercy wins.
...and you should be shocked.
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