“Justice And Righteousness: Ingredients For The Day Of The Lord!”

“Justice And Righteousness: Ingredients For The Day Of The Lord!”
As I enter a class for the first time, I give my full identity to the class. I always end by telling my new found friends that my friends call me “Nibabs!” Nibabs was first given to me by the “Tribute Sisters” barely one year after their creation. I remember this because they just celebrated their Silver Jubilee anniversary few days ago. I was their chaplain for many years and have remained bonded with them. Ni is the way you address a senior brother in my culture. It is also a courteous way to address any male.
People are happily ready to receive you if you’ve created an atmosphere of friendliness each time you are with them.
I don’t know if it’s an experiment that demonstrate reality, but a humourist in my village said: “Accompany a friend to his home, the way the children welcome him reveals to you whether he is a good father or not!”
However, it is often the other way round. And this “other way” is our focus today. When all the children are coming to you with, “Papa eleh, yayayo,” the child who has done something wrong would rather be pretending to be busy in the backyard!
When the children are home without parents, they worry about the day the parent is returning home. While contemplating on what presents would be brought to them, they become excited. They often forget some wrong things which they have done that would attract serious punishment!
The present times and happenings causes the majority of us to be longing for “The day of the Lord!” But the prophet Amos snubs and mocks us: “Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord!…That day will be darkness, not light… It will be as though a man fled from a lion only to meet a bear…”(5:18-20); or what my people qualify as “running away from the sun only to meet with fire!”
Injustice and evil cannot pervade the land and yet we are longing for the day of the Lord! The day of the Lord comes with mixed blessings, because it is a time of judgment on injustice, wickedness and evil!
Therefore, to prepare for that day, “Let Justice roll like a river, and righteousness like a never-failing stream!”(5:24).
My friend, make yourself available and in readiness for the day of the Lord by ensuring that justice and righteousness rules at your workplace or where ever duty calls!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!