Redeemer Devotions for February 27, 2013

God as eternal judgement - an opportunity to think about these words that cause

some folks to shudder with fear. If you have any comments - adebelak@redeemerluth.com [mailto:adebelak@redeemerluth.com]Could it be that the word 'judgment' is too readily associated with a negative outcome?

How many times do we hear folks say things like: I feel like I'm always being judged

- I don't do things with them because they judge everyone? Maybe that is part of

the baggage we bring along when we hear about God as judge or hear things that

talk about God's judgment. Judgment seems to have a pointing finger involved - a

horrible sense of guilt hook onto it - the sense of being an utter failure. But

non of that is meant to be all that judgment is to mean.



The amazing and creative edge of the Reign of God - that is eternally changing the

old into the new - is powered by an announcement of God's judgment - for us. It

is God for the characters in Scripture and it is God for us here and now. We are

always within a time of judgment - but too often - too, too often - almost always,

we do not listen to the judgment. I know I am often likely to drag myself home or

quit because I think what I have been doing has been judged as worthless or failing.

And yet, the judgment that is handed me by our God is a judgment for me - a judgment

that has a promise dripping all over it. Not every judgment that is for us - is

the same.



I watch the "silver linings playbook" and in a dance scene, the lead characters

do not have a chance at getting a 10. When her crotch ends up in his face following

a dramatic leap, nothing above a 5 seemed possible - if that. When the judging took

place, all the numbers were under 5 and one was above five - the average: 5. All

that was needed was a 5. That terrible score (judgment) was enough of a judgment

for them that it changes their lives.



God is 'for us.' That is the yesterday, today, and tomorrow that is meant to rock

our lives and shake them up with all hopefulness.



O God of love and new life, here we stand - your beloved. We can be troubled over

what we are not and what has happened and yet you promise new life so that we are

not consumed by what we do and who we think we are. You, alone, O God, judge us

to be ready to enter the fullness of life that will become your Reign here and now.

Amen.