The Courtroom

Recently I sat in a courtroom and watched the judge and all the guilty souls who, one after another, stood before him. Seems I've sat in courtrooms alot in the past few years.  Thankfully I've only watched and testified.  Some judges have been amazingly merciful, almost like loving parents—especially the judges in juvenile court.  One judge was like a cruel "hang 'em high" Wild West cowboy—complete with handlebar mustache. Today's judge was a good man who truly worked for the best in each case, while holding each person to the law. But he sent confusing signals, and this was the second of three times that our attendance was wasted. Justice is inconsistent.

I thought about the Big Judge before whom we must all appear at the end of our lives. His justice is consistent. We'll all be guilty with a rap sheet a mile long. His law is stricter than any in the courts. His punishment is more severe than anything from our civil government. And we cannot hire a slick, fast-talking lawyer!  But if we are connected, submitted, forgiven, and cleansed, that Judge will declare our guilty verdict nullified and our eternal sentence in an extremely hot place waived.  Because He already paid the penalty through His Son.

Sometimes when I think I know how much God loves me, I get a new vision of what He did for me through Jesus, and I see how He loves me more than I knew or imagined.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for paying the penalty of my guilt. Lead me to live a life worthy of my freedom in Christ.

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” Romans 3:24 KJV.

Today’s devotion by Peter Lundell, a rising new voice on connecting with God, with new perspectives to what most people overlook.  He is a pastor, Bible college teacher, and conference speaker. Visit him at www.PeterLundell.com for his inspirational “Connections” and free downloads of articles, parables, short stories, and book chapters.