Society prefers the loving Jesus who floats around and glitters (as Matt Chandler puts it). I generally prefer to think in terms of love when it comes to my Savior. But let me tell you what - in the last couple days I am glad that while He is a God of love, He is also a God of wrath and justice. From reading articles about popular lingerie maker Victoria's Secret marketing to pre-teen and teen girls to seeing advertising from Ford in India showing women bound and gagged in the car's trunk (supposedly to show how much the trunk could hold - good to know I can kidnap, bind, and gag three scantily clad women and put them in the trunk).
While the brokenness of this world never stops (and gets ever more broken) there are days that it's more noticeable than others. Yesterday was one of those days for me - where what I read seeped deep inside and pain over the state of the world caused my heart to ache and overwhelmed me. It's those days I say "COME LORD JESUS!" and "HOW LONG O, LORD?" And I am thankful that though God wishes none would perish, but all would have eternal life (2 Peter 3:9, NKJV), He is also a God of wrath and justice.
One day both are coming to this broken place and I, for one am glad. Of course, God's wrath is freaking scary. Go read Revelation and tell me it's not like a very bad, scary acid trip - one I do not want to see up close and personal. But I need to know it's there. I need to know that one day this brokenness in the world, this brokenness in me, will all be eradicated. That the King of Kings will speak and out will come a sword that will annihilate evil (Revelation 19:15, 21, NKJV). That those who are exploiting, raping, marginalizing, doing the unspeakable to others will be met with God's justice.
I need a God I can't control, that can't be put in a box. I need a God who is as much wrath and justice as love. If I didn't have that, how on earth could I face the rampant evil of this place? No, I have faith that a better kingdom is coming, that one day every tear will be wiped away and I'll be face-to-face with my loving Father and this brokenness and evil will be a distant memory. That is the God I need, and that - thankfully - is the God I serve.
Well said and much needed! We don't like to talk about the wrath of God, but we need to hear about it!
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