Devotion for the Third Thursday in Advent

Psalm 96:11-13 (ESV)

11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the Lord, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Lord, too often we think of judgment as something bad. We fear the Judgment Day when You will judge the world. But we know You judge with righteousness and faithfulness, and we know that You forgive the sins of those who accept Jesus as their Savior and who truly and earnestly repent of their sins. With Jesus as our Advocate, we need not fear Your judgment, for He has washed us whiter than snow. We will be glad and rejoice that He is coming to judge the world and the people with truth. In His name. Amen.