Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 19:1-20; Matthew 15:1-20
“The Lord is righteous in all His works toward us, for we have not obeyed His commandments. Glorify Your Name, O Lord: and deal with us according to Your great mercy.” (Prayer of Azariah)
The Lord is righteous in all His works toward us. What does this mean? It means that when God punishes us, He is only doing what is right. He is never unfair or indiscriminate in His punishments. Some people want you to believe that God doesn't ever visit His people with misfortune or suffering, but those people must have never read the Bible, where God is all the time dropping punishments on His people. What this says is that God is not being unfair when He does it, for we have not obeyed His commandments.
If we could honestly say that we have done everything just like He has told us – that we haven't sinned, that we haven't been hateful toward Him and despised His will and instruction – then I guess we could say that His punishments aren't fair. But since we haven't done what He commands, and we have done the things He tells us not to do, God is absolutely right to punish us. That's the starting point of all our dealings with the Lord – we deserve His punishment.
I had a professor once who said: “People are amazed that God would punish them for their sins. 'Wha? How can this be? Why is this happening to me? Why, God, why?!' They should sing 'Amazing Punishment' in church, because that is what is amazing to them. They expect grace. They don't appreciate it. It doesn't amaze them.”
That professor hit the nail on the head, and he knocked us Lutherans for a loop when he said it. This verse is a reminder for you and for me and for all Christians that grace is amazing. Punishment is normal. Grace is incredible.
Azariah told God that he knew punishment was all he deserved from God. But then he asked humbly for mercy, not because God owed it to him, but so that God's name would be glorified. Mercy IS amazing, and Azariah asked God to be amazing, merciful and glorious. The Lord did just that. He was merciful to Azariah. He has been merciful to you and chosen not to punish you for your sins. He has punished Jesus in your place. He has forgiven you by His grace. Just remember that punishment is ordinary. Grace is amazing. Our God is amazing.