Just keep on keeping on

Sometimes when I read a passage in the bible a problem or question leaps out at me. I've mentioned the issue sometimes when it's happened in Zac's expecting at least one other to say, 'I'm glad you said that because I was thinking it too,' but no-one ever does. It just seems to be me.

Last night was a case in point. We were reading the story Jesus told about a widow who had some sort of court case about injustice going on. The judge was a nasty man who cared about no-one but she nagged him and nagged him until he said, 'I'm never going to get any peace until I give this woman justice,' and so he did.

The message was to persevere, to keep on praying, that if even a mean judge eventually does what's right then surely God who loves us will respond to our pleas. But it was a line just towards the end of the passage that got me puzzling. 

Jesus said, 'I tell you, God will see that they get justice, and quickly.'

My question: then why doesn't it seem that way in the world? 

One person said, 'God's timing is different from ours.' I positively hate that phrase. It may be true but it has cop-out written all over it. So let's put it another way: why does a young asylum seeker who escaped from all sorts of horror kill himself in Swansea after being let down by the system? Where was the God of justice then?

My answer is that I don't know. 

I decided a long time ago to put my faith in God, to accept Jesus as my saviour. There is so much about scripture that confuses me; there are so many things in life that make me angry and cause me to shout at God. But I can just accept it because I've made my choice. I may not be happy but it's okay.

But then today when I was walking George I was thinking again about this question and I realised that maybe I had it the wrong way around. I am asking god why he isn't bringing justice to the poor and oppressed; maybe he's asking, 'Why aren't you bringing justice to the poor and oppressed, Liz? You have power in that you have a voice and a vote; what are you using yours for?'

I know several people who are committed to one cause of another. They are passionate and vocal - and don't give up. I'm not one of those but maybe I should be. Maybe if we want to see justice in a world in which it seems to be in very limited supply then we should be following Christ's example in standing up for the vulnerable and needy. We are his body on earth; it's up to us too.