Day 22 – Oct. 22

“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.  19  You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous.   Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” -Deuteronomy 16:18-20

Justice is a call from God. In Micah 6:8, we are directed to “do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” This is not an option for His children. In like manner, the way of our judges and our judicial system is bound by “righteous judgment” and impartiality. When partiality—or bias—arises in our systems, it “perverts” justice, suggesting that justice should be pure and uncontaminated from favoritism or deference. Partiality also blinds even the wise from seeing clearly and honestly as it “subverts” or undermines the cause of right living. Only justice fulfills the call of God and He directs this to be in our judges, officers, indeed, our judicial system as a whole. Justice is the way to our inheritance in God.

Yahweh, in You all authority and power exists. You speak and it is! Hallelujah! We honor You, Great I AM, as The Righteous Judge, extending grace and mercy according to Your perfect will. Thank You for Your plan of justice. For establishing a system that holds us accountable for our actions towards one another. We pray that to think of others higher than ourselves, treating them as Your image-bearer Lord. As we come before You, we especially lift our judges and judicial officers before the throne, asking You to create in them a desire for Your justice; to live with the conviction to judge and act in fairness and without favoritism or bias. Grant them wisdom beyond their own understanding, sight beyond their vision, and hearing beyond the words that they may move with right judgment. And Father, give them courage to stand for justice. Protect them from retaliation as they render their decisions and remove any efforts to deter or hinder them from just decisions, even their own positions. We trust that You are working and moving in all things and know that You, Lord God, are the final and perfect Judge. Our hope and faith are in You, Mighty God! Through Jesus we pray and give thanks, Amen.