An interesting quote on Justice

From the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church website, ngumc.org, via the St. Mark UMC e-newsletter:

The Bible teaches us that God’s justice flows with the same intention and aim of the compelling nature of moving water. The prophet Amos reminds us that we must be concerned with justice and holiness and care for the poor and oppressed. He beautifully states that when we do these things, God’s justice rolls throughout the land like a river, and God’s righteousness flows like a never failing stream.

It is interesting to see that throughout the Bible, the waters of justice aren’t compared to a gentle babbling brook. No, they are described as an intense current that overtakes injustice and inequality. Justice is powerful and commanding—yet cleansing and pure. In this context, we find that justice is a type of release or rescue that repairs the obvious social inequities that our deprived brothers and sisters face.

We have been called by God to act with this same attitude of vigorous and enthusiastic justice. It is an important call. When we as Christians expand our imagination and our energy toward advocacy; when we work to remove the discrimination that is built into our social, political, economic, and religious systems; and when we find new and effective ways to take up the cause of the powerless, then we find that justice rolls through the land like waters, and righteousness travels like an ever flowing river.

Our gracious God longs for us to be advocates for this type of fairness, equality, and integrity. Daily, we are faced with the choice to either thrust open the flood gates enabling God’s justice to bring hope into a unjust world or hold justice back like a stagnate pool of water. Micah helps us meet this daily struggle by reminding us of our hefty call from God to act with, and seek out, justice.... let us remember that, though the flood gates of justice may be heavy, God calls us to open them wider to bring help and hope to a hurting world.