OUR DAILY BREAD : THE SEARCH FOR JUSTICE

[cimi]

June 3
Tuesday


THE SEARCH
FOR JUSTICE

READ:
Ecclesiastes 3:14-22
_____________________________________

I saw under the sun: In
the place of judgment,
wickedness was there;
and in the place of
righteousness, iniquity
was there.
__Ecclesiastes 3:16
____________________________________

A trial has just ended, and the reactions to the verdict could not be more different. The family of the alleged murderer celebrates the declaration of a mistrial due to a legal technicality. Meanwhile, the grieving parents whose daughter has died wonder about a justice system that would allow such a decision. As they stand weeping before a mass of microphones and cameras, they exclaim: "Where is the justice in this? Where is the justice?"

We've seen this scenario played out in the news or on TV crime dramas. We instinctively long for justice but cannot seem to find it. The wisest man of his day, Solomon, faced a similar frustration and disappointment. He saw that imperfect human beings could never administer perfect justice. He wrote: "I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, iniquity was there" (Eccl. 3:16).

If all we trusted in were imperfect people, we would lose all hope. But Solomon wisely added in verse 17: "God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."

The search for justice can be satisfied only by trusting the God who is always just. __Bill Crowder
_____________________________________________________________

```````Though sin seems to triumph and wrong conquers right,````````
`````````````````Though lies can put justice to flight,```````````````
```````````God's truth is eternal, His Word shows His might,``````````
````````````And He will bring justice to light. __Gustafson````````````
_____________________________________________________________

Someday the scales of justice
will be perfectly balanced.

************Today's Bible Reading __ Ecclesiastes 3:14-22***********

14 I know that whatever
God does, it shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
and nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should
fear before Him.

15 That which is has already
been, and what is to be has
already been; and God
requires an account of what
is past.

16 Moreover I saw under
the sun: In the place of
judgment, wickedness was
there; and in the place of
righteousness, iniquity was
there.

17 I said in my heart, "God
shall judge the righteous and
the wicked, for there is a
time there for every purpose
and for every work."

18 I said in my heart,
"Concerning the condition
of the sons of men, God
tests them, that they may see
that they themselves are like
animals." 19 For what
happens to the sons of men
also happens to animals; one
thing befalls them: as one
dies, so dies the other.
Surely, they all have one
breath; man has no
advantage over animals, for
all is vanity. 20 All go to one
place; all are from the dust,
and all return to dust. 21 Who
knows the spirit of the sons
of men, which goes upward,
and the spirit of the animal,
which goes down to the
earth?

22 So I perceived that
nothing is better than that a
man should rejoice in his
own works, for that is his
heritage. For who can bring
him to see what will happen
after him?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

In both Hebrew and Greek, the title of Ecclesiastes refers to the
author's self-defined title "the Preacher." The book, then, is the
message of that preacher as he speaks to the assembly. His message
consists of a discussion of the frustrations and disappointments of
life when it is lived apart from God's wisdom. __Bill Crowder

[lizzie]

Amen sis cimi

Thank you for this wonderful message.

I for one have asked that as well, having seen so many horrible things happen all over the world, and to those I care for.

But we place our fate in His Hands, and our faith in His plan, and know that His understanding is so much greater than ours, and one day we will understand why...

He is our hope