More on Brokenness

See the previous post.

Today we had trial.  I will not go into the details of the actual case.  However, I will draw a brief observation about the result of the case.

The case was a criminal case.  The burden of proof was beyond a reasonable doubt.  That is the highest burden in our court systems (as far as I know).  In our deliberations we might have found the young man guilty if we were looking for a preponderance of the evidence... was it more likely than not that he did it?  But instead, we were looking for beyond a reasonable doubt.  We decided that the state did not fulfill its burden of proof, that there was reasonable doubt, and therefore we found the defendant not guilty.

Whether or not the young man really did it, he has gone through the ordeal of a trial and was staring down significant time in prison dependent upon our verdict.  If he was really innocent, that definitely doesn't mean he wasn't sweating it out there.  And if he really did do it, his conscience would have brought guilt upon him, and he would be staring down consequences that he did indeed deserve.  No matter what, he was feeling tension, apprehension, perhaps fear over what was to come.

Then the verdict: not guilty.

The young man did not have an emotional breakdown or anything, but you could physically see relief course through his body.  He shook his attorney's hand, looking him in the eye, and then he nodded over in our direction (the jury box).  He didn't catch everyone's eye the first time, so he kept looking back and forth between the judge and the jury, giving nods of unmistakeable thankfulness.  His hand went to his mouth, and you couldn't tell from across the room, but he may have even shed a tear.  His was a true heart of thanksgiving.

I say this simply as a reminder that our daily walk should be one of thanksgiving.  We have all been guilty of sin, treason, rebellion, and thousands of sins that have never even come to the light of day.  We all have things to be ashamed of.  We all deserve punishment, and we all were headed to hell.  But on the basis of a righteousness that is not our own, on the basis of a substitutionary atonement that we could not have performed, we have been declared not guilty!  Objectively so.  Only necessary once.  There is no mistrial when God speaks!  And the rest of our lives into eternity should be lived in thankful awareness and dependence on that gracious verdict.  God forgives! 

This morning was a simple reminder of the beauty of grace.  It is truly a wonder worthy of worship that in the face of our Savior Jesus we see both perfect justice and perfect grace, and these are both displayed most prominently in the greatest possible declaration of his perfect love: his cross that he painfully, joyfully shouldered for us and for his glory.  Indeed, whose sins were nailed to the cross?  Ours.  Whose hands and feet were nailed to the cross?  His.