DAY 135

IS IT ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO TURN OUT RIGHT?

2 Kings 22 & 23 and John 4:31-54

The fairy tales that were read to us when we were young often ended with, “And they all lived happily ever after.” The TV shows we watched always got it all sorted out in 30 minutes. That sentiment coupled with all we have been reading in the Old Testament makes for a formula for disaster.

You may have subconsciously in your mind the following formula: “God blesses good kings, and punishes bad kings, therefore do what is good so God will bless you.” Is this the calculus of our faith? It certainly isn’t life; bad things happen to so called good people all the time.

It also is not the calculus of God. Certainly we have read that when kings and others have repented that God has relented, or delayed his judgment, but that doesn’t mean our God is not a God of Justice.  We all want justice, except of course when we are on trial…then we want mercy.

I bring this up because today we read of an amazing king, Josiah. He was a good king. He repairs the Temple and in doing so finds the Book of the Law. He not only has it read aloud – he follows it. Did you catch that bit about how they had not celebrated the Passover since the time of Judges! So does that mean King David didn’t? I have to go and research that a bit, but it would appear from our reading today to be the case.

Maybe as you read you were thinking that King Josiah is so good that his deeds will “cancel out” all the bad done by others – isn’t that what we think? That my friend is not biblical thinking. That is something called “karma.” Karma is the idea that you have to make up for all your mistakes, and when you do, it will all be OK. It is a theology that then leads to a theology of reincarnation because you are always behind playing “catch-up.” It is often the de-facto way people today think.

Biblical thinking is that we have a God of Justice, Love and Mercy. We have been reading about Him and His People, their centuries of history of following (and mostly not following) Him.

And so the kingdom of Judah is taken away at the end of King Josiah’s reign. Might you cry out, “Not fair!” It is all but done. The last few chapters of the 2 Kings will finish out the story.

This sad and poignant moment is what makes Jesus coming to earth so significant. He is God’s sacrifice, God’s justice for “the sins of the world.” Because Jesus has come to earth and paid the price God has received justice and we have available grace and mercy.

I was once told the following story by way of example. You find yourself in court. You are guilty. The prosecutor has you “five ways from Sunday.” You look up and your old school friend is the judge. You remember you were best friends. The case proceeds and it comes to the time of the verdict. Your friend looks you in the eye, announces guilty, and down goes the gavel. Then a remarkable thing happens. The judge, your friend, gets down from behind the bench, takes off his robe, comes and stands next to you, and says, “I will pay the price.”

Some people don’t like that story. They say it makes God too demanding. My answer is usually with a question, I ask, “Then tell me how we can ever have justice if God does not expect it?” I know of no other way. The Psalmist writes that “justice and mercy” have kissed. He is writing about Jesus.