psalm 103... an Easter perspective... part five...

It's day five... of looking into Psalm 103... through the lens of Easter...

The Lord works righteousness

and justice for all the oppressed.

Psalm 103:6

Jesus... the Lord...

works righteousness... and justice...

for all the oppressed...

And just who are the oppressed...?

oppress... to crush or burden by abuse of power or authority... to burden spiritually or mentally: weigh heavily upon... wrong...

---Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th Ed.)

In the Garden... the Fall resulted in a giving over of authority...

Mankind... given authority over creation by the Creator... relinquished... transferred... that control to the enemy... by falling for a lie... and disregarding the one command the Creator had given them... the one command assuring freedom...

A significant moment in history...

We rebelled against the authority of the One who loves... and came under the authority of the one who hates... the one who kills... steals... destroys...

The prince of this world...
the one we crowned...
abuses his authority...

Every person...
oppressed...
by sin...

Some of us suffer shame and guilt...
Some paralyzed into inaction...
Some numb their pain with distractions and addictions...

Others buy full into the lie...
allow the oppressor to use them...
to oppress... crush... extort...
those who are weak...
those judged lesser than themselves...

Jesus... Father God... Holy Spirit...
can't stand for any of His creatures...
to be oppressed...

Always... His command since the Fall...
has been to care for widows and orphans...
the poor and those subject to injustice...

Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness,

and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed.

And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien,

the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.

Jeremiah 22:3 ESV

Jesus came to work righteousness and justice...
for ALL the oppressed...

Those oppressed by sin... suffering the effects of the enemy's lies... are freed from sin... by putting faith in Jesus as Lord... coming back under the authority of the One who loves...

And those who refuse to come under His authority...?
who choose to stay under the enemy...?
stay oppressors...?

He will return...
to bring justice...
for all those...
who've been oppressed by evil...  

The work of the cross...

is still being worked out...

in the lives of those on earth...

His waiting... connected to His love...

not wanting anyone to perish...

He holds off coming...

until all who will be saved...

are saved...

Are you feeling oppressed...?

being oppressed...? 

by sin...? guilt...? shame...?

Run to Him... 

the One who frees...

from all that oppresses...

In His name...

Amen...