Hey do you remember who hosted the popular game show The Price is Right until 2007? Was it Bob Barker; Drew Carey; Alex Trubek; or Richard Dawson? Make a guess more tomorrow.
Do you know when cows get tired? Yep you guessed it; When they stay up past-ure bedtime.
Wednesday 8/30
Eccl. 3:16,17 "I also noticed that under the sun there is evil in the courtroom. Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt! I said to myself, "In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds."
Here Solomon faced the possibility that justice can be harmed even in the highest, most respected courtroom it can become corrupted. However, we must remember that ultimately God the eternal, all knowing judge will bring justice in absolutely every instance.
"Under the sun" or another term is "under heaven" man can gain enough power to thwart justice, but, in eternity the final word for justice will be spoken by God our Father.
The ultimate truth of justice is based on evidence. If you can take a few minutes to see the evidence for this promise in the Bible. Gen. 18:25; Psalm 96:13; Eccl. 11:9; Matt. 16:27; Rom. 2:6-10; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Thess. 1:6-9.
Without a doubt, in the end God is the judge who upholds eternal justice.
If we focus our trust on this truth of man's justice being corrupted just in this book we see this affirmed: 5:8; 7:15, and 8:10-12. However, we are brought back to this reminder, "In due season God will judge everyone,"
As a young man I witnessed this cruelty that men who I respected wielding lies to bring harm to those who refused to bring vengence on them. In the most forceful example to me, was my dads experience, where he was defamed & reduced in his job. He was after 15 years of succesful service removed from warehouse director to a common warehouse handler.
Several men who I respected had remained silent during this maneuver. I had worked there since turning 16 for varied summer duties, shipping, receiving, counter sales, etc. as well as, throughout the summer of my high school graduation. Upon graduation from college, I was offered a job there as sales representative at the end of the summer.
I turned down the offer because I had accepted a ministry opportunity for an international youth organization. I came home for a visit during my deputation efforts, to be made aware of this injustice to my dad. To make this action even more difficult the company had placed him directly beneath the man who he had trained for 5 years. Who was incompetent, sloppy, and unfair to the staff under him including my dad. He would blame them for his incompetence.
Upon coming home and realizing my dads humiliating circumstance, I became determined that I was going to meet with the owner of the company to express my displeasure with their conduct. I will never forget my dads words to me, in appealing to me to not do that. He said, "Son my real boss is in charge and He will bring justice in the best way, you'll see."
He was reminding me that his real boss; God our Heavenly Father would bring the best solution. As was my custom when I came to town I would make a visit to the various employees I had worked with, and grown up around for many years. He made me promise that if I visited I wouldn't say anything in this matter. True to my promise I said nothing, however, during my visit most of those men who I had respected over the years, pulled me aside and apologized to me for their conduct of silence.
I could see the shame and sadness in their eyes as they spoke to me. True to my promise I remained silent on the issue, only to say that I was disappointed in the outcome. This was a good lesson for me to encounter as I began my career of ministry efforts for the next 50 years. Oh my friend; Go to your Heavenly Father when human justice is weak & unfair.
Go With God for He never allows ultimate harm to come to our lives when we allow Him to take charge of our lives.
To clarify this fact, shortly after this injustice, my dad retired & cashed out his long term employment savings from the company. Sometime later (5 years) those men who he had worked for and with dad came by to see dad & vent that's their retirement savings had been slowly bled away from them till their saving amounted to less than 10% of their promised accumulation. Their silence had cost them thousands in cash over those years as well as their self respect.
Place your confidence & trust in Him for he will never fail you. If you can; Listen to Russ Taff- Praise the Lord. on you tube.
At a very low time in ministry Becky graciouslly took my hand , sat me down, gave me a cool drink of tea and begged me to listen to this song while she turned on this song. I must admit, during listening to this song, I wept like a baby as I listened to this song in the middle of this Gaither New Orleans Hoimecoming Album.
I have since that time many times stopped to listen to this song over & over. Even this morning I was brought to tears upon listening to this again & remembering His eternal faithfulness, each & everyday to me His simple servant. Oh my dear one Lift your voice to Him in praise for He continues to remind us of His love & care for us.
Bob Barker