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Most of us don’t like to think about the Judgment of God. We typically like to talk about God’s love, His mercy, and longsuffering, but we rarely talk about God’s judgment. While that’s understandable for those who don’t know Jesus Christ… that shouldn’t be the case for a Christian.

When we think about judgment we usually only consider those who are not saved, those whom God does not regard, and who will eventually spend eternity in hell. But there is another aspect to judgment that I think we Christians should keep in mind. In the book of Lamentations, the prophet Jeremiah wrote out his perception of what was happening to Israel during the Babylonian Captivity. He recognized they (and he himself) were being judged by God. But the judgment they were experiencing was not the eternal judgment of hell, it was something much different.

What the “Daughters of Zion” (Israel) was experiencing was God’s loving hand of correction. Likewise, we Christians experience God’s loving hand of correction, because God reproves those whom He loves. So what’s the point of all of this? I would like for you to consider, why it is we experience judgment in this life.. or the reproof that God gives us? According to Jeremiah’s words in Lamentations, God’s purpose is to bring us back to an intimate relationship with Him.

But, like the fleshly creatures we are, when faced with tragedy or uncomfortable circumstances, our first thought is to fix the situation ourselves, and scurry to make our lives comfortable again. But this is completely contrary to God’s purpose in sending the judgment in the first place. Our reaction to judgment should be a broken and contrite heart as King David said. We should fall to our knees, and ask God for forgiveness; first for our disregard of His judgment, and secondly for the sin that took us out of that deep intimate relationship with Him.

I have recently preached a sermon on this subject called; Judgment, Mercy and Faith. You can either click the “Audio Sermons” tab at the top, or you can click the link in this paragraph to listen. I look forward to your comments.