Where Is God?

“Where is the God of justice?” (Malachi 2:17 NLT)

The God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament seem different to me in many ways. I should rephrase that. God has not changed, but human understanding of God seems to have evolved over time. In the books of the Old Testament, God seems distant, judgmental, authoritarian, and angry. In the New Testament, God lives with humans. He socializes with the poor and the marginalized. He intervenes in the life of the oppressed.  

These days, the world seems so messed up. Those with wealth, power, and influence get away with injustice, while the poor and the underprivileged continue to suffer. The gap of inequality has now become a chasm. These are times when I get frustrated and wonder: Where is the God of justice?

As always, God is near. Whether I can recognize His presence or not, He remains constant. My lack of understanding does not change Him. God is working within me, within others, within unfair systems. He teaches us how to  lift up the downtrodden, walk alongside those who struggle, amplify the voice of the powerless, and unshackle those who are oppressed.