justice micah perry - a 28 day impact on eternity

yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise up to show you compassion. for the LORD is a God of JUSTICE. blessed are all who wait for Him! (isaiah 30:18)

tonight, we celebrated the life of little justice micah perry. it was the most incredible memorial service i have ever attended. for all those people who talk about wanting their funeral to be a party, justice’s service made that dream a reality. sure, there were many tears shed, but there was also much laughter and worship and rejoicing. his time on earth may have lasted only 28 days, but already justice’s impact is eternal and far-reaching.

it would be easy to shake our fist at God in times like these, not understanding how He could let this happen. why did He not answer all of our fervent prayers? why did He not honor our confident belief that justice would be healed? why did He not prove Himself and bring glory to His name by performing a miracle?
“for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (isaiah 55:8-9)

perhaps God can prove Himself more through the people drawn to Him through justice’s short life, and who continue to proclaim His name in spite of justice’s death. perhaps God’s glory is more about relationships than miracles.

in matthew 11, we read about john the baptist - while in prison - wanting to confirm that Jesus was, indeed, the One they had been expecting. john had dedicated his life to preaching about the coming Messiah, and if anyone could have gotten him out of prison, it was Jesus. but He didn’t. john’s purpose had been fulfilled.

and so was justice’s. as justice’s dad realized, in the midst of life’s difficulties, “are you okay with not being rescued if your purpose is being fulfilled?”

“justice wasn’t for just us.”

3300 people joined the group on facebook. fox news ran a story on the little family that was rocking the picu. an athiest decided to follow Jesus. a 10-year old committed to live a life of radical faith. a marriage on the rocks was redeemed. all because of a baby, and his parents, who refused to give up.

justice means righteous gift of God. and that he was ... and is. it is up to those whose lives were touched to make sure that his suffering was not in vain.

his parents troy and sara prayed that the lives of those praying with them would be ‘jacked up’. mission accomplished. as troy challenged the audience tonight, “it’s time for the training wheels to come off. you cannot enter God’s presence and leave unchanged.”

continue to pray for this precious family as they walk out the “what now?” especially pray for their 5-year old son as his little faith has been tested in ways that most adults never have to face.

and, even if you don’t know them, be challenged as i was to live with an unwavering faith that the world cannot help but notice.