If God is loving, powerful and active in the world, then why do the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer? Through the oracle and prayer of the prophet Habakkuk at a critical time in the history of Judah, we see these perennial questions take centre stage. And this ancient story shows us the ancient path—how to walk honestly, humbly and faithfully with God through the darkest of times.

In the context of a broken and exiled Israel, Isaiah 61 gives us a detailed view of the promised ministry of the Messiah. He would proclaim God’s truth, he would personally deliver and transform people, and he would anoint and empower others to join him in his mission to restore justice and righteousness to the world.

Isaiah provides a devastating account of the seeds and bitter fruit of injustice. He helps us see injustice as involving our thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions. He demonstrates how injustice damages our relationships with God, others, and ourselves. However, he also speaks a word of hope: God is deeply displeased with injustice and has set in motion a plan to set things right.

Amos is a shepherd who hears clearly that God is not pleased with Israel. Through Amos, we see the critical connection between our worship and our lives, and we hear God’s emotional plea for us to return to him with integrity.

When God gave the law to Israel, he invited them to act like him in regard to the needs of the vulnerable. Based on the foundation of love for God and others, Israel’s justice laws include various structures aimed at dignifying the vulnerable and growing a flourishing society. These laws foreshadow Jesus’ invitation to receive his forgiveness and share his blessing with others.

God has a unique plan and purpose for every single person. Through the story of Abraham we get a glimpse of that way that God invites each of us to participate in his blessing and share his abundance with others. Our calling is activated when we respond in obedience, and takes shape over our lives as we continue to follow Jesus through faith.

How can we find hope in the darkest of seasons? By choosing to rejoice in God—by taking our eyes off of our circumstances and placing them instead in God’s goodness, power and love. When we choose to worship with gratitude, hope rises as we trust God and wait for his deliverance.

Genesis 4-11 tells a series of stories exploring the powerful and progressive nature of sin. What began as a single act of disobedience quickly became a world that was filled with wickedness everywhere. Though a thread of hope can be seen, these chapters allow us to reflect and mourn the state of our lives and our world and, if we’re willing, to humble our hearts and admit our need for a Saviour.

Our world is broken. How did it get this way and what can we do about it? As we examine Genesis 3 we discover the root causes of injustice, our contribution to the pain and tension that surrounds us, and a glimmer of God’s hope that was shining even in the earliest days of humanity.

The first chapter of the Bible makes a bold and mysterious claim: that God created humans in his image, in his likeness. What does this mean, and perhaps more importantly, what practical application does it have in our lives today? If our hearts could feel this truth deeply, what would change about our views and our lives?