Vindication

When we think of stuff we humans need, we often think of water, food, exercise, and of course love.

But this morning I found myself thinking of vindication. True, in a perfect world one wouldn't need it --- but . . .

So there am I thinking of vindication and how it pops up in the Bible so often. Sometimes it's phrased as "God, vindicate me," sometimes it's framed as "God, please avenge me," sometimes it's "God, plead my cause."

The Judeo-Christian God is very aware of this human need for vindication. So much so that he goes out of his way to tell his people: Vengeance is mine, I will repay it.

So then, what do we do with this revealed truth? I'm thinking we can simply use them as promises of God that we can hold on to.

The publishers of Wind Follower didn't expect to make a lot of money from it. Urban fantasy with vampires and werewolves are all the rage. May God vindicate me and cause this book to sell more than all their books combined. I'd feel vindicated about that.

Folks have made fun of me being religious and still trusting God to heal my son and me. May God vindicate my trust in him by letting his healing and blessing come into our family.

The human soul needs to feel justified in many ways. It needs to feel that others have seen the rightness of our cause or the wrongness of their judgments against us. Sad but true, certain things affect us. Joyful but true, God is aware of our human needs.

Okay, okay...some stoical Christian will come up and say, "You want vindication in the eyes of man? Sister, you aren't enlightened, you're weak. Be strong and allow yourself to suffer." Well, yes, we should learn to be strong. But Christianity isn't stoicism. We don't try to be strong because life is meaningless and emotions are bad things, we try to be strong because God is with us. God has told us to be joyful because HE is in charge and He has overcome the world. He knows our frame; He remembers we are dust." So, if a Christian comes to me with talk about me being immature because I want the world to see that God loves me, I'll say with Paul: "I will boast in the Lord. True, there is pie in the sky by and by and the sorrows of this life cannot be compared with the joys and glories to be revealed in us and in the universe but I expect to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. That's part of the Christian joy: good in this life."

1 Samuel 24:12 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

2 Samuel 22:48 It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me. 2 Samuel 22:47-49

Psalm 8:2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. Psalm 8:1-3

Psalm 18:47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. Psalm 18:46-48

Luke 18:3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. Luke 18:2-4

Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Romans 12:18-20

1 Thessalonians 4:6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 1 Thessalonians 4:5-7