How would YOU plead? Guilty? Not guilty? Would you throw yourself upon the mercy of the Court?
Will there be anyone to speak up in your defense?
I recently had an experience being in TWO courtrooms in one week! Unless you work in a courthouse, it’s quite an unusual happening to be in such a room even once in your life, let alone twice in one week.
Have you ever found yourself in these types of somber, serious proceedings, either as one who has been wronged, a member of a jury, or even a defendant?
These are such rare and thought-provoking moments, for sure.
When the day comes for you to stand before the final Judge’s court, will you have One who is pleading your case, or will you make your own defense? There is ONE way to be sure you are defended and freed from the ultimate verdict of “Guilty as Charged”.
Same, but Different
The similarities between these two courtrooms were just as profound as the differences between the two, and what was about to happen in each one.
Being in an actual courtroom can be quite sobering, not only because of the seriousness of the surroundings, but also because of the life-altering decisions that will be made there.
These two were both places of automatically hushed tones, respect and reverence. However, one had the potential to impose figurative chains and remove freedom, while the other was set to begin a new and wonderful chapter in life, bringing joy, love and unity.
Whether or not you have yet to find yourself in such a somber and serious environment, and even if you NEVER have to face something like that in your earthly life, there WILL come a day when you and I DO stand before an even more sobering judgment seat, in a courtroom far more terrifying, especially if you stand alone, guilty with no one to come to your defense.
Which would YOU hope for—chains or joy/love/unity?
Tests and Trials
A few days prior to last month’s article (the one about hiding in the Rock), I was required to participate in perhaps the most beloved (NOT) responsibility of every citizen of the US. I was called to jury duty. Ughhh.
I’ve been summoned many times over the years, and in the past had either been excused beforehand because of child rearing, work or because my number was high enough that I didn’t make the cut off, etc.
At least once, I had been required to appear in person at the courthouse, waited around all day, and then at the end of the day was told to go home because the case must have been settled before the trial even could begin at all.
This time, however, there was no getting out of being physically present at the courthouse. Couldn’t even call the night before—they had sent an email a few days prior and said YES, I did need to appear.
So I laid everything at the feet of Christ, and trusted him to direct my steps as He does every day.
Personally, I knew my deadline to publish my next blog/podcast was coming up, and it was barely even BEGUN, let alone being close to completion. I also had been looking forward to various commitments in the coming days and weeks.
So, I brought some paper with me and began to write a rough draft as I sat there, waiting, and waiting, and waiting….
Jury Selection
FINALLY, with only a few hours left in the day, after many other people had been called forward all day long, they told those of us who were left in the large room to head up to a specific courtroom for jury selection.
Talk about a humbling experience–walking into that room and sitting down with around 50 potential jurors, before the judge, the defendant and the attorneys.
The process was explained to us, and the judge began letting us know, as potential jurors, what the next days would entail. We were told about the nature of the case (which happened to be a criminal case, so any verdict would have to be unanimous).
The jury selection began after the judge told us about the dates that would be required of us all until the jury was chosen, and then for those selected to be on the jury, for the remainder of the trial.
Looking at the list of dates, it became apparent that if I was selected, my life was going to be ON HOLD for about a month and a half, IF a verdict was even reached in that time.
Thankfully, the Friday of that week (a few days later) was a day “off” for this case, since I had something very special to attend that day. But other upcoming things were likely to be canceled, unless the Lord had other plans in store.
Whatever the case, as I did at the very beginning of that day, I laid it all down at the feet of Jesus, knowing that He would direct my steps. My place was to SUBMIT to HIS desires, not demand that He meet MY desires….
Submission
Is there ANYONE who eagerly participates in the act of submission or surrender?
There has been much talk of submission in relation to a certain religion that requires it outright as one of its main mandates. In fact, the very translation of the name of their code of belief means “submission”.
When I consider some of the over-zealous adherents to that religion, sometimes it reminds me of the “pharisees” of Jesus’ day. They followed the “law” meticulously and were committed to being sure it was enforced, down to the smallest rules. Yet, they obviously missed the larger “law of love” that was the basis for those commandments.
In fact, when you boil it all down, the reason they nailed Jesus to the cross was that He didn’t “follow” their “law” in the way THEY thought He should. He claimed to be God, and that was blasphemy in their eyes.
There are some in that religion I mentioned above that will actually kill Christians because they don’t follow that religion’s rules (won’t submit to their requirements). Yet Christians are naturally committed to only “submitting” to Jesus (i.e. God).
There seems to be a stark contrast between submitting out of FEAR (as in that religion, so you don’t get “un-alived”), and submitting out of LOVE (as through Christ, where there is freedom and peace).
Surely, in the case of this court, I was submitting to my state’s laws (to show up in the first place, and stay for as long as they deemed necessary). But beyond that, I was GLAD to submit to Jesus in whatever way this case went, because my life belongs to Him (having been purchased by His blood, and now essentially surrendering to His will, as His “love-slave”).
Guilty or Not?
We were told late that afternoon before leaving for the day, to come back the next day, even at an earlier time in the morning, because they wanted to get right to selecting the jury.
So, again, we all arrived the following morning and waited, and waited and waited.
In fact, we weren’t even called again until it was almost time for a lunch break.
It’s a bit ironic that a person can break the law, come into court to be tried, and put SO MANY other people’s lives on hold.
Thankfully, our system of justice allows for people to put up a defense and not be presumed guilty until and unless the case is proven beyond that “reasonable doubt”.
Well, whether or not that defendant was guilty will never be known by us, because when they called us back to the courtroom, apparently he and his attorney were gone and the judge gave the jury pool the good news for us that we were all dismissed, and the case was not going forward.
There was no telling why we were let go. Perhaps the defendant, who had originally pleaded “not guilty” before the case began, had taken a look at the jury and realized what the case would entail, and decided to change his mind.
Whatever the case, it was SUCH a relief to be FREE and to know that so many prior commitments and plans wouldn’t need to change. Thank You, Lord!
So, I quickly got the blog and podcast together, by God’s grace, in time for it’s normal deadline. What a blessing to be able to finish it.
That Other Courtroom
Now, as far as that previously mentioned second courtroom?
I had been invited to attend a joyous occasion later during that same week to witness the adoption of my grand-niece. My nephew and his wife had been caring for a foster child, and were planning to adopt her as one of their own children on that day.
It was such a blessing to be free to attend that court date. And how ironic to be in yet ANOTHER courtroom that same week. Yet THIS day was filled with laughter and joy, as they had invited MANY people from their LARGE extended families, as well as numerous friends to be witnesses of this very happy occasion.
During this adoption, my grand-niece was being declared to be a legitimate daughter of my nephew and his wife. She would then have all of the responsibilities and blessings of being a family member, including the rights of inheritance like any of their other children.
It was truly a beautiful thing to witness, and even more profound after the happenings at the other courthouse earlier that week.
The comparison of these two court proceedings was striking in both their similarities AND differences.
Which One Will You Choose?
It seems that there are perhaps two ultimate court appointments we can have in this life.
We can accept Jesus’ offer and be ADOPTED into the family of God, co-heirs with Christ.
“Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”
(Romans 8:23 NIV)
OR, we can stand defenseless before the judgment seat of Christ, already condemned … with no hope unless He were to plead our case FOR us.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
(2 Corinthians 5:10 NIV)
Ultimately, we WILL submit to Him, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
And the Bible URGES us to come to Him humbly NOW, and accept His gracious offer of being saved from that latter type of court appearance. We can turn around, face Him and admit that yes, we ARE guilty as charged, and throw ourselves upon the mercy of the Court.
He would MUCH prefer to welcome us in as His sons and daughters, with our sin and guilt paid for by HIM, than to lose us because we were too stubborn to humble ourselves before such a gracious and merciful God.
Fear or Love?
Remember what was stated earlier, that we could submit out of fear or out of love? Well, Jesus’ love is PERFECT, and much deeper than we could probably ever hope to know.
Once you grasp even a little of His profound love, it becomes easy to want to do His bidding, and when His Holy Spirit lives within you, He empowers you to DO it….
The Bible says:
“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
(1 John 4:16b-18 NIV)
I recently was reading one of the Psalms in the New Living Translation. Since it’s different than my usual NIV, it struck me anew (and was quite relevant with all that’s been mentioned here).
“Declare me innocent, O LORD, for I have acted with integrity; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Put me on trial, LORD, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart. For I am always aware of your unfailing love, and I have lived according to your truth.”
(Psalm 26:1-3 NLT)
Wow, was David brave, asking the Lord to test and try him like that. Surely he was NOT completely innocent, and yet he knew the heart of God.
And the “Son of David” (Jesus) WAS completely innocent and perfect…. And as He paid for our sins, now He is indeed able and willing to “declare us innocent” in Him, if we will simply accept that gift.
So, how will YOU plead; guilty … not guilty … will you throw yourself upon the mercy of the court?
If you’d like to be sure that you are headed for that joy-filled courtroom rather than the fearful one, and you’ve never welcomed Jesus into your heart to be your Lord and Savior, you can do that today, so that you can be assured that HE will plead your case on that final day…. I’ll drop a link in the footer below for a simple prayer of faith that will help you put it into words if you want to do so….
He loves you, my friend, and wants you to be adopted as one of His own if you have yet to say “yes” to Him.
I say, throw yourself upon the mercy of the Court. His throne of grace is a place of abundant love.
And if you HAVE accepted His sacrifice for you, rejoice in your adoption! You have the rights and inheritance of the true Son, because of His deep, amazing love.
Hallelujah!
The podcast version of this month’s episode closes with a hymn called “He Leadeth Me” from my earliest CD called Painter of the Heavens that was put out by a wonderful Christ-centered ministry called Loving Grace Ministries.
If you’d like to check out that CD, I’ll drop a direct link in the footer as well, where you can get more information.
The lyrics in this hymn say in part: “Lord, I would clasp Thy hand in mine, nor ever murmur nor repine, content, whatever lot I see, since ‘tis my God that leadeth me.”
May our hearts surrender to His abiding love, trusting His will above all else.
God bless you my friend.
Lisa Prokopowitz is a Christian Singer/Songwriter, Guitarist, Podcaster and Blogger who seeks to lift up the name of Jesus and draw hungry hearts unto Him.
The podcast (Audio) version of this episode will be posted here:
https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/shining-river9
The song associated with this month’s podcast (played at the end) is “He Leadeth Me” from Lisa’s “Painter of the Heavens” CD, available here:
If you would like to pray to ask Jesus for salvation, this link will help you put the prayer into words:
https://www.lovinggrace.org/salvation-prayer
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https://manna.shiningriver.com
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