The life and faith of Abraham. Part 9 – Will not the Judge of all the earth do right? Gen 18:16-33.

What is a horrible feeling, isn't it?

When you've been denied justice,

perhaps you've had a work issue and you

took it to your boss and your boss just

wasn't interested. They just fobbed you

off. They they can't really cope with

their own stuff, let alone your stuff.

Or perhaps you paid for some sort of

service or product and uh it turns up

but it it doesn't live up to the

promise. Despite your complaints, you

you say, "Look, I'm sorry. This this

isn't right. It's it's it's not working.

It's not as advertised." You go there.

Despite your complaints, they they you

can't get justice. There's no refund.

There might be many instances when we

haven't been given justice. And

depending on how serious the situation

is, perhaps you've even been tempted to

take it to the police or had to go

through the courts.

But what do you do when the police

aren't interested? You know, it's a

civil case.

What do you do if the the courts get it

wrong? They don't deliver justice or

they cut people's sentences short.

What if the government itself is corrupt

and there is no higher court of appeal

and you just can't get justice?

When a country's leader fails to uphold

justice, that that I think is a tragedy,

isn't it? But I think there's something

worse or potentially.

What if God

was not just?

What if we couldn't trust the judge of

all the earth to do what was right?

That would surely be a fearful thing.

And as we come to our passage this

morning, that is the question. That's at

the heart of this passage. Verse 25,

shall not the judge of all the earth do

what is just?

That is such an important question.

When we

wonder what happens to unborn babies,

they die.

When we think of unreached people groups

around the world and we think, "What

happens there?"

When we consider people whom we love and

yet they've died and we're not not sure

if they were in the Lord or not.

Or perhaps when we find ourselves

gripped by a fresh horror at the

realities of hell

and that causes us trouble

then to know if the judge of the whole

earth will do right or not. That is

absolutely critical, isn't it? Can we

trust him to do what is just and right?

This is what Abraham is about to explore

and we'll look at that in our first

point where God shows his heart.

It's a number of indicators that reveal

what's important to us. Obviously, one

of them is money. So, what we do with

our money kind of reveals what is

important. And I guess for most of us,

we invest a lot of our money in shelter.

We want somewhere to go to be safe to to

have a home. We invest a lot of our

money in keeping warm. So, we'll pay for

heating and electricity and clothes and

those things. We'll pay for an awful lot

of our money for food as well, don't we?

Because we want to be fed. Those are big

priorities for us. Or or maybe um when

we've got that disposable income, if we

have some, perhaps then we'll spend it

on toys or whatever, trinkets, you know,

jewelry or something. And what we do

with our money reveals our priorities.

Also, time is another indicator. You

know, if we make time for one thing and

then we don't make time for another, you

can tell where your priority is. Um, it

shows you how important these things are

to you. But the question is, what is

important to God?

What's God's priorities? What's on God's

heart?

Well, if we if Abraham is to understand

what is in God's heart, it needs to be

revealed to us.

Abraham needs to understand what God's

priorities are. And as these three

visitors, they depart following their

gracious dealings with Sarah and

restoring her faith, they are heading in

the direction of Sodom. And then God

decides that he's going to reveal the

situation to Abraham. Now this is

strange little conversation in verses 17

to 19. And it's not it's not clear

whether that conversation is taking

place between the three strangers, two

angels and the Lord or whether this is

an insight into God's internal dialogue

that this is God's thinking that we are

having revealed for us. But whatever it

is, the situation is still the same. We

see written therefore as God uh thinks

to himself or says to himself uh that

God has chosen Abraham to be this great

and mighty nation and all the nations of

the earth are going to be blessed in

him. And therefore as the head of this

important nation uh the the channel of

blessing to all nations, Abraham needs

to be able to instruct his children in

God's ways.

And it's his job to instruct his

children in God's ways to ensure that

that is taught and that is passed on.

Verse 19, for I have chosen him that he

may command his children and his

household after him to keep the way of

the Lord.

Now, in our day and age, there are some

who would like to deny that men have the

responsibility for spiritual leadership.

But here it's clear Abraham has been

chosen for this very purpose. It's baked

into the story. You can't wrigle out of

this. He is chosen to be the one to

command his children and those after him

about the Lord. Of course, this doesn't

mean that women or mothers don't have a

role in this. Not at all. It's it's a

teamwork and we see that throughout

scripture.

So, Proverbs chapter 6 verse 2021. My

Proverbs 6 · chapter mention

son, keep your father's command and

forsake not your mother's teaching.

Bind them on your heart always. Tie them

around your neck. Or you can read a

passage like second uh Timothy chapter 1

where Paul sees the faith of Timothy's

grandmother and mother that has been

passed on to him presumably then not

through his father who probably wasn't a

believer.

But where there is a believing dad, it

is his responsibility to ensure that the

ways of the Lord are being taught.

Abraham wouldn't have had to do all the

teaching, but he needs to ensure that it

is happening.

And that I suspect will be a challenge

to many of the dads here.

Yes, it's teamwork,

but men

don't just leave it to the women to do

everything because that's probably our

natural sort of fallback position.

But men, don't just leave it to the

moms. Your your kids need you. Ephesians

chapter 6:4, "Fathers, do not provoke

your children to anger, but bring them

up in the discipline and instruction of

the Lord.

You could argue, well, surely fathers

means both. But well, no, it's fathers.

There's a word for mothers as well.

Fathers, this is your responsibility.

Don't don't make your children angry and

be mean about it and awful about it, but

you need to bring them up in the ways of

the Lord.

Of course, if if any of us are to teach

our children the ways of the Lord, then

we need to know the Lord ourselves,

don't we? The words in verse 19, for I

have chosen him.

That literally in the Hebrew I'm told,

means I have known him. It is that

knowing that intimate relationship word.

God is saying he has an intimate

relationship with Abraham.

And scripture speaks about Abraham being

the friend of God. As Hope prayed about

earlier in a number of places in

scripture, the friend of God.

And what friends do is friends tell each

other things, don't they? So Jesus says

to his disciples in John 15:15, "No

John 15:15

longer do I call you servants, for the

servant does not know what his master is

doing, but I have called you friends.

For all that I have heard from my

father, I have made known to you."

So,

dads,

moms,

how is your relationship with the Lord?

How's that going?

If we're to bring up our children in the

ways of the Lord, we need to ensure we

are well acquainted with him ourselves.

Perhaps you're sitting there thinking,

"Well, how do I do that?"

Well, first of all, you come to him in

faith and repentance. That's the first

step, isn't it?

Ongoing. I mean, we we can continue to

do that, but we also read what he's

revealed in in his words. This this

here, it's God's word is revealed to

you. It's written for you. You can

literally open it up and see what God is

talking about. You see God's heart

revealed right there. So, we come to his

word. You make sure your soul is being

fed.

You speak with him daily in praise, in

thanksgiving, and in in in independence.

Lord, I can't do this. I need your help.

Help me to be a good dad, a good mom, a

good husband, a good wife.

And you orientate your life around what

he has revealed in his word. Not about

not about what the world around you

saying you must do this or this is. No,

you come to his word. You go, there it

is. That's what I'm going to build my

life upon.

And you seek by the power of the Holy

Spirit to cons constantly adjust your

life to be in line with him. You seek to

become more like Jesus day by day. Lord,

do your good work in me. Help me, change

me, transform me.

And of course, you make meeting with his

people your priority because that's

often where a lot of these spiritual

things are worked out in practice. These

things are are basic critical key things

to ensure that our relationship with the

Lord is kept well and healthy and good

and we need to do that if we are to be

able to instruct others including our

children.

So is your friendship with the Lord

healthy?

Is it personal? How's it going?

Abraham was to lead his family in the

ways of the Lord. But then he could do

that because he knew the Lord and he was

the Lord's friend.

Now some people might not like the word

that's used there. It's the word

command.

In verse 19, he was to command his

children.

And maybe in our culture, we need to

hear that parents, you are meant to

command your children. They are not

meant to be commanding you. You're not

meant to sit back and just let them do

whatever they want. They don't know

best. They need boundaries. They need

guidance. They need your help.

They don't know the Lord for themselves.

You need to teach them the way of the

Lord. You need to teach him about his

law, his grace, his love, his mercy. You

need to say, "Look, guys, when we do

things wrong, what the Lord wants us to

do is is come in repentance and and say

sorry and seek his forgiveness." You We

need to show them this. When you do

wrong, kids, you don't lie and pretend

it didn't happen. You go, "Yeah, I'm

sorry. Dad made a mistake." And you

admit it, and you show them how that

works.

So when it comes to instructing or

directing our children, we need to know

what the heart of the Lord is like. Um

perhaps the best way to do that is to

look at how God deals with us. Um he is

kind, he's gentle, he's not harsh. He he

disciplines those he loves, but he's not

harsh. He deals with us in love, mercy,

grace, patience, kindness, and wisdom.

And so if we have God as our model, that

will help us as we try and deal with our

children or grandchildren as the case

might be. And it comes from knowing the

Lord, knowing what he is like, how he

deals with us.

So what does a a life look like that is

lived out in God's ways?

Well, God states it here like this at

verse 19. by doing righteousness

and justice.

By doing righteousness and justice.

Righteousness

is a word that means that which is

conformed to the will and character of

God. So if you imagine it's bad

illustration, but if you imagine like

God's perfect righteousness, everything

that's perfect, good. And now we are to

be conformed to it. Not like that or

that or whatever. Perfectly lined up.

Where God is on something, that's where

I am. Where God's heart is, that's where

my heart is perfectly lined up.

So righteousness is that which conforms

to the will and character of God. He is

the pattern. He is the standard. He is

the blueprint. He is the plum line. And

he's the spirit level. He is the

definitive guide. He is what is normal

and right about everything.

Righteousness conforms to the will and

character of God. So that a life aligns

with God's ways. That is a righteous

life.

And since God is perfectly right and

just, any life, any action that deviates

from God, that is unrighteousness.

So Abraham was to teach his children

this is who God is and in light of that

we do what is right and upright. We

uphold what is right.

But as we know most people including us

do not live lives perfectly aligned to

God. And when we move away from God's

ways, that means we are doing things

that are less than right, less than

perfect. And that is sin. And and when

we sin, things go wrong. Relationships

break. Wrong things occur. And people

get hurt. And and things that are wrong,

it needs to be put right. Hence, the

need for justice.

That is to put right that which is

wrong.

So Abraham's leadership, his commanding

is not to be oppressive.

Quite the opposite is based on who God

is. And God loves righteousness and

justice. That is the way of the Lord.

That's his priority for Abraham and his

children. Righteousness and justice. So

to do what is right and whatever is

wrong, that needs to be made right.

That's God's heart as revealed here.

But wait, some of you are thinking,

wasn't Abraham's righteousness, wasn't

didn't that come through faith? And yes,

it did. Remember back to Genesis 15:6,

Genesis 15:6

and he believed the Lord and he counted

it to him as righteousness. And Paul

argues in Romans chapter 5, that's the

Romans 5 · chapter mention

same for us. We receive the gift of

righteousness from God. Our right

standing before God is through faith.

But we are called to live out that which

we've been given. So Romans chapter

6:18, "You have been set free from sin

and have become slaves to

righteousness." Don't hear that quoted

too often, do we? Been set free from sin

and have become slaves to righteousness.

We've been made right through Jesus and

now we are to live committed to Jesus.

God wants to show Abraham his heart.

[snorts]

What is in God's heart. Psalm 33:5, "The

Psalms 33:5

Lord loves righteousness and justice."

So, we need to take walking in the in

God's way seriously. We need to do what

is right and whatever is wrong, that

needs to be made right. That is Abraham

uh that is what Abraham is is told to

command his children to do is to teach

his children in in this way. This is

what God loves and therefore this is how

we are to live and we're still to live

in that way.

But as man mentioned that is not how

many people live. In fact many people

have no regard for God at all. And that

is what characterizes the sinful cities

of Sodom and Gomorrah. And we'll

consider that in our second point. God

reveals the outcry.

God reveals the outcry.

I'm so thankful that our girls get on

really well and um but do you know I

don't want to embarrass them, but you

know um but it wasn't always the way.

Now they're they're lovely. They they

spend lots of time together. It's lovely

and great, but that wasn't always the

way. There was a time when all they

seemed to do was argue. You know, it

didn't matter what it was. Arguments

over games, the iPad, TV, food, where

you're sitting, clothes, just about

anything. And you're just like, "Oh

dear, what is this? What's going on?"

And quite often you just sort of try to

tolerate it and not react to to most of

what was going on. But every now and

again, it would reach a point when

something needed to be done.

intervention was needed. Now, I'm

hesitant to draw a straight line between

that illustration and God, but perhaps

there is something similar here. You

see, if God acted every time someone did

anything wrong or anything that wasn't

perfectly right, we wouldn't exist

because we do sin all the time. As Hope

again prayed, we've sinned even today.

So whilst God hates all sin, God bears

with sin. Romans 9:22 tells us he

Romans 9:22

endures with much patience. Romans 3:25

Romans 3:25

says how in divine forbearance he passed

over former sins.

So there has been and there still is to

some degree a holding back of God when

it comes to punishing sin until the

right time.

But at certain points throughout history

when that outcry has become so great,

there comes a time when God stepped in

to deal with it. [snorts] We see that at

the time of the flood. There was a time,

there was an outcry so great God stepped

in to deal with it. It's happened

throughout various times throughout

Israel's history as well. And it happens

in this passage too or will happen in

the next one, next chapter anyway. But

the outcry is so great that God has to

act.

What is this outcry?

Is it the cry of those affected by the

sins of these cities? Well, it could be,

couldn't it? Or is it the injustice of

the sin itself that is somehow screaming

up to God?

It's a bit like in Genesis 4:10 when God

Genesis 4:10

says, "The blood of Abel's crying out

from the ground." It didn't have a

voice. Metaphorical. But the idea is God

is so aware of the injustice that's

going on. He hears it. He is aware of

it. It can't be ignored. It's like

someone is rattling the the cages of

heaven.

When sin is committed, it hurts people,

but it grieves God. And as the judge of

the whole earth, God hears the outcry,

the injustice, the horror. It is an

affront. It is an act of rebellion. It

it is defiance against God. And what

those cities were doing have become so

intolerable to God that he decides to

act.

Verse 20. Then the Lord said, "Because

the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is

great and their sin is very grave."

We rightly say, don't we, that all sin

is serious.

And we should never imagine that any

sin, no matter how small, is less than

deadly.

It takes one sin to keep us out of

heaven.

But it would also be a mistake to assume

that all sin is equal.

There is something about their sin,

perhaps the quality,

perhaps the quantity,

perhaps both, that is particularly

grievous to God in this instance. And so

God is going to investigate.

And we might think that sounds a bit

weird. Why does God need to go and

investigate? Doesn't he know all things?

You know, he knew what was in Sarah's

heart. He didn't have to ask her. He

knows all things. Why does he need to go

and investigate?

Well, in ancient times, apparently

judges, you didn't have juries. You had

judges. They would make the final

decision. The judge would often go to

the scene of the crime to collect as

much evidence as they could to make sure

they could give a just and right

verdict. And I think that's pretty much

what's happening here. God is acting

this out for Abraham on Abraham's

behalf. Abraham knows that blessing

comes from walking with God. And now God

is showing Abraham that what happens

when people don't walk with God, when

they don't practice righteousness and

justice. Here's the flip side of it.

You're blessing when you're with the

Lord and then if you're against the

Lord, it's not so good. God is showing

by going down there that God hears, God

sees, and God will judge.

And God is teaching Abraham that when he

judges, it's based on a complete

knowledge of the situation. It will be

fair.

There's no undisclosed evidence. There's

no considerations that haven't been

thought of.

And so when someone's life is taken from

them,

when some heinenous sexual crime is

committed,

when people are swindled out of their

savings or pensions,

when people are oppressed,

exploited

or abused.

When we hear about these things and we

are grieved,

when we cry out, why doesn't someone do

something,

we know that if we are grieved by sin,

God is much more so.

When we are angered by oppression and

injustice, God is much more so.

And we know that that outcry, it goes to

God and it will be thoroughly

investigated. All the details, all the

motives, all the circumstances will come

to to light and when God judges, it will

be completely

just and right.

Now, all these times of judgment

throughout the Bible foreshadow

something greater.

That is the one final day. And on that

day, no one will be able to mount an

appeal. No one will be able to claim

that God has acted unjustly. All will

see that it has been thoroughly

investigated. That sin, whether it's the

smallest sin or the greatest sin, it has

been held up to that perfect standard of

God's righteousness and shown for what

it is. Whether we are the smallest

sinner or the greatest sinner, we will

all admit with the psalmist Psalm 199

verse9, the decrees of the Lord are firm

and all of them are righteous.

Or as in Revelation 16:7, yes Lord God

Revelation 16:7

the Almighty, true and just are your

judgments.

Many will not like the outcome, but no

one will be able to stand there and say,

"Well, that wasn't fair and that wasn't

right." It will be seen to be fair and

right.

Whereas, as the Lord explains this to

Abraham, Abraham is aware of the sin of

Sodom

and he's troubled

because he knows they're going to be

found guilty.

And perhaps as we consider God examining

every area of our lives, perhaps perhaps

we are troubled too.

Because if we're totally honest, even we

are aware that sin isn't just those

things out there that you read in the

newspaper headlines or you know that

flash up on your your news alerts on

your phone. It's not just those big sins

out there. We are aware that actually

sin is what happens in here.

There is an outcry from my sin to God.

From your sin to God.

We have not lived lives that line up

perfectly with God. We've not treasured

him as we ought to. We've gone our own

way. And you know what? That should

trouble us.

If our sin is not dealt with, if our

trust is not in the Lord Jesus Christ,

we should be awake at night worrying

about this. It is worth worrying about

your sin.

So, is that it? Is there any hope?

Abraham's troubled soul led him to speak

this daring prayer. And we'll look at

that in our final point. God speaks with

Abraham.

Perhaps you think I've mistitled this

point. God speaks with Abraham. Surely,

you know, this is Abraham speaking with

God, isn't it? It's his daring prayer.

He's bold in his prayer. He's reverent.

But he's coming to the Lord in it with

these these wonderful pleas. But just

cast your eyes down to verse 33.

And the Lord went his way when he had

finished speaking to Abraham. So it

might appear like Abraham is the one

taking the initiative here, but that's

only half the story because it seems

like the Lord is actually waiting for

Abraham. The Lord is giving him the

opportunity to intercede on behalf of

others to seek mercy. Verse 22. So the

men turned from there and went towards

Sodom. But Abraham still stood before

the Lord. It's like the Lord is

lingering,

waiting

for Abraham, giving him the opportunity

to speak.

And the Lord knows the idea of a

sweeping judgment won't sit well with

Abraham. And so it needs to be talked

about. Abraham needs to be shown that

the judge of the whole earth will do

what is right. Because right now in

Abraham's situation, it looks a little

bit unclear.

So although Abraham does most of the

talking, it seems to be the Lord who is

behind this conversation.

So let me just encourage you.

Do avail yourself of the opportunities

you have to approach the Lord in prayer.

Perhaps those times when something is

weighing you down, you don't understand

it. Well, go to the Lord in prayer.

Perhaps those times when you just don't

get it, when you're grieved over

something, go to the Lord in prayer. or

you know our church times when the

Lord's people come to to meet to prayer

to pray. Don't leave the Lord standing

there waiting for you. We need to be a

people who are faithful in coming to the

Lord in prayer. I shouldn't

I'm torn about how much depressives. I

don't want to bash you and make you feel

guilty, but would it not be good if we

all had such a burden to pray that we we

we loved coming together.

I think that's how we should be. I I

know it's not how we are, but oh,

wouldn't it be good if the Lord moved

our hearts so we knew we needed to pray

as a people, you know? Abraham's quick

to take the hint. Verse 23. He draws

near to the Lord and he pours out his

concern. So I'll read this. Verse 23.

Then Abraham drew near and said, "Will

you indeed sweep away the righteous with

the wicked? Suppose there are 50

righteous within the city. Will you then

sweep away the place and not spare it

for the 50 righteous who were in it? Far

be it from you to do such a thing, to

put the righteous to death with the

wicked, so that the righteous fair as

the wicked. Far be that from you. Shall

not the judge of all the earth do what

is just? See, his main concern there is

is that the righteous surely they're not

going to be judged just like the wicked

in the same way as the wicked. That that

to Abraham that seems wrong. And Abraham

continues to humbly but boldly press the

Lord. As I was reading around this,

someone uh said um you could view this

as haggling, but they said probably a

better word is exploring. He's exploring

the mercy, the heart of God here. He's

praying in accordance with what he knows

of God that yes, God is right. God's

just. So surely this other situation, it

can't be I can't be reading that, right?

And so he's bold based on what he knows

of the Lord, but he's humble based on

what he knows of himself. And he brings

these questions before God, seeking out,

exploring the heart of God. I think this

is what God was hoping to draw out of

Abraham. Why he was lingering, waiting

in this prayer, Abraham is learning more

about God's ways, about his

righteousness, about his mercy, about

his grace.

And note, it's not just a prayer to save

only the righteous. He doesn't say just

just save the righteous and just let

everyone else burn. It's actually he's

praying for the sake of the righteous

few, save the whole city. Save them all.

Lord, would you do that? And you know,

we too should find ourselves concerned

for our villages,

our towns, our cities, our workplaces.

You know, if if we're not praying for

North Bradley,

if you're not praying for Trobridge or

Melcham or Froom, who is going to pray

for them? They're not going to pray for

themselves, are they?

This is in line with God's heart. He

takes no pleasure in the death of the

wicked. And and as Jonah discovered

years later, God is cons concerned about

that sinful city Nineveh. The enemies of

the Israelites, God had a heart of mercy

for them.

God has a heart for people. He wants us

to pray for them. 1 Timothy chapter 2:1,

I urge then first of all that petitions,

prayers, and intercession and

thanksgiving be made for all people. All

people.

I wonder if our prayers ever go beyond

just ourselves in our own little

situation.

Well, Abraham discovers that yes, the

whole city would be saved if there were

just 10 righteous people in it. In the

New Testament, Christians are described

as the salt of the earth. The presence

of uh Christians, it seems to have a

preserving effect

in the earth. Uh Matthew in Matthew

Matthew 13 · chapter mention

chapter 13, Jesus tells a parable. It's

the parable of the weeds where the

master allows the weeds uh to grow

alongside the wheat. Uh otherwise, if

they take the the the weeds up, they

might uproot some of the the good good

uh plants as well.

Even a handful of Christians can be a

mercy to the unrighteous

in a country, in a company,

in your group that you go to. Don't

underestimate the mercy and the grace

that your presence can bring into that

situation.

God is willing to withhold what would

otherwise be for the sake of his people.

He gives more time for repentance, more

time for your witness, more time for

sinners to seek him. He is patient.

But as we said, there does come a point

when he acts. We'll have to wait until

after the summer to see what happens.

But here's a sneak preview. There wasn't

even 10 righteous there. There was one.

There was Lot.

But even then, God doesn't sweep Lot up

with the judgment. He saves him and

those with him.

Just just note um as you'll probably

think about this but just note there is

a difference between believers being

swept up in a national uh uh natural

disaster

and believers being saved from an act of

judgment.

So natural disasters happen and

believers are caught up in that. But

believers are not caught up in actual

acts of judgment. We are saved from

those. We shouldn't confuse the two.

But this does answer the question, shall

not the judge of all the earth do what

is just? The answer is yes. He will only

bring actual judgment on those who

deserve it. No one is in hell by some

mistake.

No one's there because of some

miscarriage of justice. When we worry

about justice and so forth, we can trust

the judge of all the earth to do what is

right and just.

As we close,

it's an interesting concept that Abraham

introduces here, isn't it? Should the

wicked be saved for the sake of the

righteous? It's interesting.

Surely, there is at least a shadow, a

suggestion of the gospel here.

The judge

has heard the outcry of sin.

And he did. He He came down, didn't he?

Not for a passing visit like we see in

the Old Testament, but Jesus the judge,

he came down. He lived amongst us. He

was born into the midst of it all. And

you know, Jesus is the only one who can

ever be fully and rightly said to be

actually righteous.

For there is no one who is truly

righteous except for him.

And so the question becomes, will God

stay judgment not for the sake of 50 or

45 or 30 or 20 or 10 righteous, but will

he stay judgment for the sake of one man

of Jesus Christ?

And the answer is for all those who

believe in him who humbly accept accept

his gift of righteousness. We are not

saved by our own doing and our own

goodness, our own efforts. We are saved

because we are covered by the

righteousness of Christ. So when God

examines the world, when every tone

stone is turned, all who are found to be

in Jesus, they are declared to be

righteous and we are saved.

For now, the weeds are allowed to grow

with the wheat.

What will be done?

Will God act fairly and justly? Well,

it's that question. Shall not the judge

of the earth do what is just? If we're

still in our sin, we can expect

judgment. That is what is fair and just.

But if our sins are forgiven in Jesus,

then we need not fear. If we're unsure

about anyone or any situation and will

God do the right thing, the answer is

yes. We can take heart because we can

trust him to do what is right and just.

So we can trust the Lord with this.

Let's be quiet before the Lord.