Mercy and Justice

In April, I began reading through the Psalms during the early hours of the day when no one else is awake. I am now through Psalm 31, and cannot help but see the reoccurring themes of mercy and justice, fear and trust. God is merciful and just, and holy beyond our comprehension of the word. Because of His holiness we are to fear Him, and because of His mercy and justice we are to place our trust in Him.


Now, I know that fearing the Lord is not the same as being afraid of Him, but I often wonder if I truly grasp His holiness. And can I fully understand the depth of His mercy if I ignore His justice?

Driving home one day, a Mark Shutlz song about Christ's return and the end of sorrow started playing on the radio..the chorus goes like this:

Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess
That God is love and love has come for us all
Every heart set free, everyone will see
That God is love and love has come for us all

While listening to this, a thought struck me: for some, Christ's return will not be an occasion for joy. For some, Christ's return will mean final judgment and eternal separation from God. For those who choose not to bow now, bowing then will not be voluntary. Everyone will see, but not everyone one will be set free; some will be eternally bound. God is love, yes; however, God is also holy and if we refuse His provision for our own holiness, well, we are on our own. So, for some, on that glorious day, sorrow will not end, it will just begin. Do I get that? Do I really get that? And if I did, how does getting that change the way I see people, especially those who have not yet chosen to bow? If I'm not that concerned about them, or it doesn't seem that I am, does that mean I really don't get it? And if I am concerned about them, do they know and what am I doing about it?