Isaiah 10:1+2

Woe to those who make unjust laws,
to those who issue oppressive decrees,
to deprive the poor of their rights
and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,
making widows their prey
and robbing the fatherless.

For years I thought that by sinning less I grew closer to God. Every time I sinned I turned away from Him and was distanced from Him by my own doing.

There is truth in saying that turning to sin distances you from experiencing the goodness of God in everyday life; sin is rotten goodness and consequently has a bitter taste. But I am no farther from God than when I first began. See God reaches down to all of us, despite our total depravity.

The moment I begin to think that I can do anything that will cause God to smile on me more and give me grace, I have undermined the Gospel. It is out of this mindset that we turn to legalism and religion. Any justice administered by an unjust judge is, by nature, injustice.

Out of this comes a heart of evil, opposing love and grace for we begin to become blind to that fact that it is solely because of God's love and grace that He sees us at all. I am humbled by this truth and compelled to worship a God who love's beyond what I deserve. I cannot run from God. I cannot run to Him. He is - despite my struggle and despite my victory - He is.

May God's goodness become fruit in our lives and not a platform from which to oppress the poor and needy.