Isaiah 50:7-9a
7 The Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
8 he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
Let them confront me.
9a It is the Lord God who helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
“… 9a It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty? …”
I have had the opportunity to serve on several juries over the years. Most of the cases were relatively minor offenses, typically involving automobile accidents or misdemeanors. However, while living in Norfolk many years ago, we were asked to decide on a case of homicide. Unlike the courtroom dramas seen on television, this one was simpler in the sense that the accused was guilty of causing the other person’s death. The issue at hand was not whether he was guilty, but of what.
As the judge laid out the various possibilities from manslaughter charges to murder one, the jury listened intently. Deliberations were intense, sometimes heated, and often contradictory. Ultimately, however, we had to decide not only on the depth of the person’s guilt and but also recommend the punishment to be meted out.
According to the law of the Lord, we are guilty. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” the Scriptures remind us. We have violated God’s law. Like the man in the courtroom in Norfolk, we are guilty. The question is not “of what” (lawlessness before the Lord); but what should the punishment be?
This is where God, through Jesus Christ steps in, helps us, and says, “Not guilty! Even though you are guilty, you have been pardoned. Your guilt is washed away in water and Word. There is no sentence of punishment.” That, my friends, is the God of grace who saves us.
Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for pardoning my sin and removing guilt. To You, I am ever grateful. Amen.