God of Love and Righteousness

“The death of Christ is the wisdom of God by which the love of God saves sinners from the wrath of God, and all the while upholds and demonstrates the righteousness of God.” - John Piper

 For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God’s goodness into us! 2 Corinthians 5:21(TLB)

God of Love and Righteousness 
Only You know why Lord 
when You had no need of more 
You took upon Yourself the crafting 
of mankind – a largely thankless chore. 
For we do not give the praises 
that so rightfully belong to You. 
Nor do we faithfully live in gratitude 
for all the things You are or do. 
You created us in Your own likeness 
and breathed in us the Breath of Life 
You called us sons and daughters 
and talked and walked with us. 
You shone Your light upon us 
You provided our every need 
Yet in our pride and arrogance 
we renounced Your Divinity. 
Sinful, we hid from Your holiness 
when we should’ve fallen to our knees. 
Now You, the Lord, had a quandary – 
What’s a holy righteous God to do 
when the object of Your affection 
chooses sin and death 
over Your perfection? 
How can Your love allow us 
to answer for our crimes – to die? 
How can Your righteousness, 
without our deaths, be satisfied? 
Oh what a predicament You found Yourself in 
and what were You to do? 
You stayed Your hand of justice 
just for a little while. 
Long enough to arrange 
for Your miraculous arrival. 
In human flesh, yet sinless 
You came into this world You made 
and taught us to love and seek Your way, 
to rely upon Your mercy. 
You urged us all to repentance 
to receive forgiveness in Your Name. 
Then gallantly You took our place in death 
to satisfy Your righteousness. 
But death can’t hold the great I Am 
and victoriously You rose to claim 
those who rely upon Your sacrifice 
to take away their sin and shame, 
to restore in them Your holiness. 
You’ve redeemed Your wayward children 
O glorious God of love and righteousness.