Living in Limbo

There are all sorts of situations in life which leave us feeling helpless and hopeless of making progress.  We pin our hopes on seeing measurable improvement but our best efforts seem futile.  Disappointment leads to discouragement, and we feel like we are living in limbo.  Limbo is described as, "an uncertain period of awaiting a decision or resolution; an intermediate state or condition."  We desire the feeling of closure over a legal decision or a personal conflict, and we cannot see the way forward or an escape from pain until the weight of waiting for justice to be done is lifted by meaningful action.  The wheels of justice turn slowly when at all, and the movement does nothing to heal wounds opened afresh by the process.

To those whose lives feel in suspension from grief and pain, there is real hope available for you today.  The LORD is righteous, holy and does not change (Malachi 3:6);  the God who is just and merciful, mighty to save and will judge the wicked is the same God today as He will always be.  Many people who are guilty of crimes will never be judged by a human court, but all will someday answer for their wickedness before the almighty who will see justice done.  Even when "justice is served" in a court of law, nothing can be done to heal a broken heart or replace the time victims served in a prison of pain and uncertainty.  Sometimes a judge and jury gets things wrong and people have been incarcerated for crimes they did not commit.  How can one continue to live joyfully in a cell when your life has been hijacked by injustice?

The answer is found in the person of Jesus Christ and all He willingly suffered for us.  He is described by the prophet as "being despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief." (Isaiah 53:3)  The justice of God for our sins was placed upon Jesus once for all, and by His stripes we are healed.  As victims we cry out for justice to be served:  on Calvary justice for you, child of God, was secured by the grace of God that transcends time.  Those who do wrong and die in their sins will ultimately be judged and punished for their wickedness.  Should the worst evildoer trust in Christ and repent of his sins, that one will be washed forever clean because justice was meted out on Jesus on the cross.  How great His pain, and how much greater His power and victory over sin displayed in His resurrection from the dead!

By grace we are saved by faith in Jesus, and we are forgiven because God's justice was satisfied on Calvary.  1 John 1:9-10 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."  If the body of Jesus remained in the tomb, we could justify living in limbo.  Since Jesus is risen and remains faithful and just, we have an everlasting hope no trial or pain can wrench from us.  Grief and suffering from injustice is real and the pain ought not be dismissed.  The word of God and faith in Jesus teaches us to shift our focus from the injustice we have suffered to Jesus who saw justice served on the cross.  We know for certain God will one day judge the world in righteousness.  Not one who dies in their sins will evade the full responsibility of guilt, and God's eternal sentence will be just.