From the Editor
A Brighter Day
STACEY MCKENZIE
God’s Heart for Today and Tomorrow
There is no greater joy in day-to-day life than sharing the truth about who Jesus is with someone who has shown an interest in hearing it. Sometimes, the opportunity may come about through a series of direct questions in a spontaneous conversation and at other times through a clear Spirit-led moment that may have been years in the making. In this season, we celebrate Jesus’s life and His obedience in laying down His life for us and rising again so that anyone who believes has not only forgiveness, but a story to tell that will never lose power (John 11:25-26). Another great joy is participating with the Holy Spirit in cheering on a discouraged person—in sharing that no matter what our experience of life is, God is present and understands (Hebrews 4:14-16). His kingdom comes to life in our present moments wherever He is invited to work, even as we wait for the final revelation of the everlasting kingdom still to come (Isaiah 65:17; 1 John 3:2).
For the first few years of walking with Jesus, I thought of injustice in the context of Him being unfairly crucified for the sins of the world, including my own (Isaiah 53:4-6). The life I got to live felt like a gift I didn’t deserve for the little I had done to receive it—merely believing that He is who He said He is. Since then, my eyes are regularly being opened to the tangible ways injustice plays out in our world and how it can impact the way messages about Jesus are received.
The Scriptures speak to events that can cause pain to us or to our neighbours in very specific ways. And we can interpret what is happening to us and around us—and God’s heart in response to it—without feeling confused about His perspective, knowing that He loves all the people He has made (Psalm 145:9). Jesus took the time to weep for Lazarus, mourning with Mary and the others who were grieving for him, even though He knew He was going to raise him back to life (John 11:1-44). We, as His followers, can represent and embody God’s compassion for our neighbours’ current moments even as we bring hope for their future (James 2:14-17).
We may often be unaware of what is happening beyond our personal experiences, but a dilemma arises once the light is shone on others’ suffering. His intention for His followers is that we compare what we see in our lifetimes with what He has said throughout all time. We are warned of the dangers of engaging in injustice or turning our ears and eyes from those crying out under the weight of it. I’m encouraged to see that the Scriptures are full of insight on how God works in these scenarios. The verse I have heard quoted most frequently from Proverbs 22 is, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (v. 6). But the rest of Proverbs 22 is full of other directives that can help guide our understanding of God’s heart in matters that pit the weak against the powerful.
“Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity, and the rod they wield in fury will be broken” (Proverbs 22:8). “One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty” (Proverbs 22:16). “Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the LORD will take up their case and will exact life for life” (Proverbs 22:22-23).
There are so many who would take heart in hearing these words for their present circumstance.
Most of us have the benefit of serving or worshipping with other believers in Christ from diverse backgrounds. When it happens, we can be sure that this is God’s intention (Ephesians 4:16). With thoughtful integration of our life journeys and perspectives, together we can reach large segments of local harvest fields that are still unreached but deeply impacted by evil. Let us have the courage to speak up for those among us who are weary (Galatians 6:2) and those who can’t speak up for themselves (Proverbs 31:8-9). As we make God’s coming kingdom known, we can work for a brighter day, with His help, starting today.
This article appeared in the April/May/June 2025 issue of testimony/Enrich, a quarterly publication of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. © 2025 The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. Photo © istockphoto.com.