Bethlehem Lutheran Church

The verse for today, 7/16, is Psalm 7:16
"His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends."

One of the many themes that run throughout the Psalms is that of God's justice, particularly in the wicked getting their just deserts. Today's verse is one of those common expressions of how those who do wrong and seek to cause harm actually bringing that very harm upon themselves.

Sin does have consequences. Although it may seem for a time that people can get away with it, the consequences of sin will always catch up with them. There is no escape from the long arm of God's Law, which is even more certain than "what goes around comes around," even more certain than "what goes up must come down."

There is only one thing that can free us from the full consequences of our sin, and that is the blood of Jesus. Even that doesn't really void the consequences of sin, it just redirects them. Our freedom isn't free. The consequences of our sin had to be borne in full, but Jesus stepped in to suffer for us. The punishment we deserved came fully on His sacred head.

This beautiful combination of justice and mercy is a wonderful comfort as we walk in this world of sin. All around us we see injustice and unmercifulness, and it can be greatly discouraging, but there is justice and mercy in Christ and in Him we will find our hope, joy, and peace.