By Drew Gilliland
Program & Research Associate, G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice
As I was reflecting on what to write for this post, a line that is repeated throughout the Bible (but especially in the Psalms, in Isaiah, and in Revelation) came to mind: “Sing to the Lord a new song!”
The first time this phrase is written is in Psalm 33, a psalm very fitting for us who are involved in doing justice as part of loving God and loving other people. Before continuing, please take a minute to read it.
I don’t know about you, but I often find it difficult to shout for joy in the Lord and sing a new song to Him. The burdens of this world and my own inadequacies can feel overwhelming to me. But that is often because I am forgetting who God is – and this psalm is an excellent reminder. Why should we shout and sing? Because his word is true and faithful. It will not fail, and the true Word – Jesus himself – is ever-faithful. God loves justice and proved it through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. He loves it when we work for the good of others, because it’s what he himself did and does. When we do justice, we join in the work of God. What a humbling thought.
“We are blessed because we are given the ability to partake of his great vision to renew all things, and to be part of his restorative work.”
And why do we work for justice? It comes from knowledge of what God has always wanted for his creation, which he himself made. He placed the stars where they are, breathing into existence their fiery plasma and gases. He controls the raw power of the oceans. When I look at the stars and hear the crashing of the waves of the sea, I am indeed in awe, as the psalmist says in verse 8. But he didn’t stop there. He created the plants, the animals, and us. And He wanted us to live in perfect relationship with himself, with ourselves, with each other, and with his creation. It was all “very good” as we lived to work alongside Him to shape his raw world into something even better. But, as you know, we fell because we were deceived by Satan. But God has always had a plan, and his creative power has never ceased working in our world to bring about the reconciliation of all things to Him.
As our Father is this grand Creator, we can surely trust him to frustrate the plans of the nations – plans to conquer and to oppress, to harm and to destroy. In contrast, it is His eternal plan, as shown in the entirety of Scripture that is sure. It alone is true, like an arrow flying straight towards its target. It is a plan of restoration and judgment. And we are his people, his nation, and his heritage. We are blessed because we are given the ability to partake of his great vision to renew all things, and to be part of his restorative work.
Some people want to see things change and trust in the wrong things – their war machines or their algorithms, their financial clout or their cultural & political capital. These cannot save. They are a false hope for salvation; in all their might, they “cannot rescue.”
Sisters and brothers, let us fear the Lord, worshipping him in awe with a new song in our hearts, birthed by Christ and carried to fruition by the Holy Spirit. Let our souls wait upon the Lord, for He is our help and our shield. Because we can trust Him and be glad!