READ: ISAIAH 61:8; JEREMIAH 22:3; MATTHEW 23:23

It’s discouraging to see so much evil in the world. Evil and sin have been a part of the world for a long time, but as I get older, I notice it more than when I was a kid. I hear news about corruption, poverty, or health crises…and it can really get me down.

It can be easy to see all this evil and either choose not to believe there’s a God, or to think that God doesn’t care—just look at how bad the world is. But Scripture tells me that God does care. He hates evil. It breaks His heart to see His creation suffering, and one day He’s going to get rid of all evil permanently.

I’ve spent a little time in some of the minor prophet books of the Bible recently, and those books frequently show how vehemently opposed God is to evil. God despises evil and promises to bring down these ancient empires that were built on greed and oppression (Nahum 2). Through the prophets, God foretells the justice He will bring and the restoration that will come after.

Part of this restoration has already happened through Jesus Christ. After Jesus defeated sin and death and evil through His own death and resurrection, our relationship with God was righted. Our sin was paid for, and we were able to be accepted into God’s family. And one day, God’s justice will come in full, and He will right all wrongs and rid the world of all evil, and our struggle with sin will finally be over.

So, it’s not a question of “Does God care?” anymore. With the knowledge of Scripture, now it’s a question of “When will God’s justice come in full?” And even as we wait for the day Jesus will come again, we can participate in God’s kingdom here and now, acting in love and justice with confident hope for the future. • Naomi Zylstra

• Can you think of a time you felt discouraged when you saw evil in the world—either on the news, in your community, or in your own life? Jesus weeps with you. You can bring these feelings to Him in prayer anytime.

• What opportunities and skills has God given you to pursue justice right where you are, at this time of your life? Who are trusted Christians you can talk to about this?

The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. Psalm 33:5 (NIV)