Deuteronomy 27:19, Isaiah 1:17, Luke 18:1-8

In the parable that Jesus told, a widow goes before a judge in a civil case, seeking a judgment against her opponent.  What makes this judge “unjust”?  Why do you think it took so long to get a judgment?  What do the Law and the Prophets indicate is the responsibility of this judge?  How is God different from the judge in this case?

What do you think Jesus meant when he asked, “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”  What does the context of this question suggest is the content of “faith”?  Do you find faith on the earth? 

Micah 7:1-3, 1 Kings 21:1-16

Micah laments that Israel’s justice system is broken.  What specifically does he see that makes him feel empty?

The story of Jezebel, King Ahab’s wife, from 1 Kings is an example of the abuse of the “court” system to get what she wants.  Using her husband’s seal, she directs the elders of the community (the judges) to call a sacred assembly, have two witnesses testify that Naboth has cursed God and the King, and then stone Naboth.  What are the power dynamics at work in this example of a justice system gone bad?  Where have you seen people with power “work the system” to get what they want?

How does this story make you feel?  What do you specifically see in our justice system that makes you feel sick to your stomach?

2 Samuel 15:1-6

Absalom, King David’s son, has been kept outside his father’s political circle, and over the course of several years, he awaits an opportunity to stage a political coup.  Like any excellent politician, he establishes a rapport with the public primarily by lamenting the state of the current justice system and listening to their civil disputes.

How do you feel about the state of our current justice/correctional system?  How does your feeling affect the way you hear politicians and the way you vote?  Is simply wanting change a good motivation for selecting leaders?  Why or why not?

Often candidates–especially conservative candidates–appeal to Christians for support.  How do you evaluate whether a candidate should receive your support?  What issues most influence your vote?  In this election year, the issue of “law and order” and our justice system will likely be a part of the political discourse.  Before you support any candidate, find out their stands on issues like mandatory sentences, privatization of state prisons, deportation of immigrants and continuation of the “War on Drugs” to see if they align with God’s desire for justice, mercy and reconciliation.

1 Timothy 2:1-4

When was the last time you prayed for those in government positions of power?  For judges and our courts?  As Primary Election Day approaches, pray for those who are leaders and judges.  Pray that those who have power will use that power to create policies and administer justice that will lead to peace (shalom) and dignity.

1 Samuel 8:1-3

Samuel, who has been a judge in Israel for years, appoints his two sons to the position of judge near the end of his life.  Yet they turn out to be corrupt.  Why do you think Samuel took this step assuming he knew the character of his sons?  Where do you see nepotism in our judicial system? 

In Illinois, voters choose all judges. At the trial level, there are two types of judges. Subcircuit judges are elected from a defined geographic area and must live in that area. County-wide judges are elected by voters throughout Cook County and may live anywhere in the County. Once elected, both sub-circuit and county-wide judges have the same powers and may be placed in any division of the Circuit Court system.  Appellate Court judges are elected in five districts  in Illinois. Cook County is one of those districts, and panels of judges on the appellate court hear appeals of civil and criminal cases from all over the County.  (If you live in another state, the process may be different.)

Even though judges impact our lives as much as politicians, almost 70% of the voters do not complete the section of the ballot dedicated to election of judges.  More than 15% of voters skip it altogether.

Tuesday, March 18, is the Primary Election.  There are 60 judge vacancies that must be filled by Cook County voters.  Candidates are chosen by the Republican or Democratic parties and often the election is uncontested—for all practical purposes, they are appointed by the party leadership.  The Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice is a non-partisan organization that compiles a list of the candidates and whether they are considered qualified by a number of lawyer groups.  See the list at http://www.voteforjudges.org/2014_Alliance_Primary_Ratings.pdf  If you are aware of other non-partisan evaluations, please post them.

Link to the 2014 Compact Daily Devotional pages to participate in discussions throughout our Fast for Freedom.

John 8:2-11

A woman is caught in the act of adultery.  There are witnesses.  It’s an open and shut case.  And the sentence is clear—death by stoning.  But Jesus doesn’t distribute the stones.  Instead, he advocates for mercy and second chances. 

When have you wanted to pick up stones?  How do you react to Jesus’ treatment of the criminal?  Do you think Jesus would have reacted differently if the person had been a drug dealer?  A burglar?  A man?  An abusive spouse?  How does this passage challenge our system of justice?  What do you think would happen if we treated people this way in our courts? 

There will be no devotional for Sunday, March 9.  Devotionals will resume on Monday, March 10.

The Sentencing Project works to eliminate mandatory sentencing.  Their web site provides excellent data on how inequitable our judicial and correctional systems have become as well as news related to “enfranchinging” ex-offenders.

The Innocence Project and the Northwestern University Law School’s Center on Wrongful Convictions are two organizations working to exonerate those who are wrongfully convicted. Their web sites include the stories of many men and women who were unjustly condemned and imprisoned.  You can also watch stories of wrongful convictions on YouTube

Prison Fellowship International is a global organization advocating for prisoners and their families, the restorative justice model and elimination of the death penalty around the world.  To learn more about Restorative Justice link HERE

CLAIM is  Chicago Legal Advocacy for Incarcerated Mothers and works to redress the damage caused to children due to having their mother removed from them.  They also provide legal educational classes to women who are detained or imprisoned to help them retain their parental rights.

Feel free to post resources you know about as a “comment” below.

Sharing our food with the hungry.  For details link HERE

Genesis 4:1-16

Today’s Scripture is about a cold, calculated murder within the first family.  God takes strong action in response to Cain’s murder of  his brother, banishing him from the land.  However, God does not take his life, but instead places a mark upon him to protect his life.

Would you call God “soft on crime” or a “law and order” God?  How does God’s action toward Cain fulfill justice?  How do you feel about God’s actions toward Cain first in banishing him and then in protecting him?