"All rise! The honorable Judge Milan presiding"...The courtroom is silent as everyone rises. The plantiff and defendant stare straight ahead, making certain their glances do not cross, just as their paths haven't in the two years since the "incident." He said, she said follows suit. Who is telling the truth? Who is lying? All the judge knows is someone is lying. Judge Milian of The People's Court is a pretty fair judge. She takes clues from various facts and paints the picture that makes the most sense. However, not knowing for certain who did what must weigh on her conscience at times. She is a good judge, a fair judge. She is kind, not to say she doesn't dish out a scolding here and there when warranted, but even when she does she does it in a kind way.
Other judges are not so thoughtful. One famous judge has two sayings. "They don't keep me here because I gorgeous. They keep me here because I'm smart!" The other, "If it doesn't make sense, it isn't true." Her statemements are no doubt true. But it is her smug and demeaning way of handing out justice to people that has made her the top judge in Hollywood. It's kind of sad that so many people enjoy watching her humilate people. I don't know why folks agree to have their cases brought before her. I think I'd rather take my chances with Judge Milian...
But wait, there is one Judge, a perfect Judge, of the highest calling, who we as Christians bow down to. Adonia -Lord-Master. Sometimes called, El De'ot-The God of knowledge.
Our Lord doesn't have to guess who is being truthful and who is lying. He knows. When it comes to our offenses....Offenses?" I don't have any offenses," you may say. "I'm a good person," you think. "I haven't broken any of the "big" commandments and everybody breaks those small ones." You may think it's no big deal. If so, the only one you are lying to, really, is yourself. God's word says,"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." 1John 1:8 Ok, so what now? What do we do when we know, and accept, that we have offended the God of the universe, our Judge, Great and Mighty, with our sin? We know about heaven and hell. Heaven is for "good" people and hell is for "bad" people, right?....Wrong! Did you know heaven is for bad people? On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matt 9:12-13 God desires mercy...that's how He is, an Almighty, Holy God with a tender heart that aches for His people to draw near to Him.
The problem in times past, was that there had to be an unblemished blood sacrifice for sin. So people would bring animals that they raised from birth to be sacrificed. They brought the very best they had. But they had to do that every year. That was not the plan of God for His people. He wanted more than to just know His people, He wanted to indwell them with His Holy Spirit through the perfect lamb of God, the only acceptable, one time sacrifice for the sin of all mankind, Jesus Christ! How beautiful a love that the King of Kings would sacrifice Himself, lay His own life down for people like you and me. He gives our dead souls, life, eternal life with Him! Jesus said, "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one"John 17:22
God is our righteous and only true Judge. He judges with mercy and fairness. God is for us, not against us. Psalm 9:4 says,"For you have upheld my right and my cause, sitting enthroned as the righteous judge." Yes, God upholds us. Jesus Himself interceeds for us. That is something to remember when you think you have let God down. Jesus is praying for you!
Lastly, "The Lord reigns forever; He has established his throne for judgment. He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity." Psalm 9:7-8 No judgement on earth can compare to the judgments of the Lord our God. He is pure and holy and He judges from His heart. Think I'll keep the TV off and ponder the thought of our Awesome God.
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