"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meakness and fear..." I Pet 3:15
"Whoseover shall confess me before men, him shall the son of man also confess before the angels of God. But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God." Luk 12:8
Some relish the challenge to defend their faith, but most of the crowd just enjoy watching. I have to admit I fit in the larger category. Honestly being put on the witness stand has been something I've wanted to avoid at all costs my entire life...even if only for play. I just don't feel confident when put on the spot. However, I guess that is no excuse. We know that in the future, we are going to have to testify for our faith...maybe even before kings and courts. Talk about intimidating! Yet we are encouraged in Luke 21:14-15, "Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth of wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist." (Obviously this is an area I need to grow in, but praise the Lord He promises to be with me and give me strength too!)
So this beautiful afternoon....here we all sat indoors....on "mock trial" for our faith. It was a very thought provoking activity (thus the reason we were doing it for our attendees)....but I wasn't too stressed as I knew everyone got to volunteer whether they went up to the witness stand or not. Since the bulk of my task as programming coordinator was over for the day, I was relaxed and enjoying the program, not too worried about anything in particular. Then they came to the last question of the "court session." The prosecutor, who happened to be Pastor Richard O'fill, looked down into the audience and right at me.... "You, Melody....this question is for you! Could you please come to the witness stand??" I shrunk into my seat....he couldn't possibly be speaking to me. What?? Why would he call me? I shook my head in protest. The audience laughed at my obvious discomfort. Oh no, what do I do?? There's not much hope of escape now. He spoke again, "Melody, come forward!" "Please don't make me come!" I pleaded, and everyone laughed again. My pleading was to no avail. The judge (our ARME President, Dave Steward) spoke firmly, "Melody, you are being summoned to the witness stand." Reluctantly I got up from my seat and walked forward. Unfortunately, it wasn't many steps for I'd been sitting on the front row. "Man, I thought! Why was I sitting on the front row?? I was too easy of a target..."
Then the prosecutor spoke. "Melody, since you are a representative of the ARME Bible Camp staff, I have a question for you. But first let me read you a verse...." And he proceeded to read. The verse was probably from Matt 6 (don't remember exactly, for I was very nervous) but it had something to do with fasting and how the hypocrites try to make it obvious to the world when they are fasting, but Jesus commanded his disciples to wash their face and put on clean clothes and NOT appear to fast - for the point is, the reward is not from men, but from God.
That morning during our service I had asked the crowd how many participated in the all night prayer room...most had raised their hands. So Prosecutor O'fill wanted to know "Why I had encouraged people to raise their hands. Shouldn't their good works be kept in private??"
My head was swimming..... "What kind of a question is this?" (I am rarely nervous on stage, for I have gotten use to speaking and being up front...but this was different! My thoughts were going in slow motion and I couldn't formulate them into words.) I'm sure my pause was only seconds... but the Judge spoke up. (I think he was feeling sorry for me since I had no choice but to come forward, when everyone else had chosen to come forward!) "Melody, I have an answer to the question, do you want me to answer?" "Sure...." I responded in relief. I don't remember what verse he gave, but he shared something to the effect about our actions and testimonies being an encouragement and witness to the fellow saints. The prosecutor looked at him with questioning eyes... "Ummm....Judge Steward! Don't you know the law? Since when do you answer for a defendant?" Judge Steward just shrugged. Then the prosecutor's gaze softened. "Yes he's right! Melody - the verse I was looking for comes from Rev 12:11, "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto death." We share not to boast of our works but to be a testimony and encouragement to others...
Prosecutor Pastor O'fill returned to his seat and I gratefully returned to mine. Of course AFTERWARDS, I thought of a couple verses I could have shared.... but the trial was over! The court case was closed.
Later as I was thinking about it, the spiritual significance of what had happened hit me... The Judge had spoken for me. Think about it! And that's exactly what Christ has done for us. In Isa 33:22 it says, "For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our King, He will save us." It is His law that we stand guilty before...we have broken His commandments. However, as it says in I John 2:1, "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ." HE is our judge...but He also stands in our place. He spreads His robe of righteousness over us to hide our sins.... "I will be their God in truth and in righteousness." Zech 8:8. Another favorite of mine, "For thou not, for I am with thee, be not dismayed for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee, I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isa 41:10
You see, many of us probably fear being on the witness stand at the final judgement just like I have feared being on the witness stand here in a court of law. But really, if we know our God and King, what is there to fear? He stands as our advocate...He stands in our place! We must just yield the witness stand to Him. It's when we cling and hold on, trying in our own strength to defend our righteousness (which is actually just filthy rags according to Isa 64:6) that we will be in trouble. We cannot defend ourselves. We cannot do enough good to clear all the wrong. We are condemned, we are doomed....except for our savior and advocate Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord. "In that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom 5:8 He is our advocate.
So...although it was painful (well, maybe I'm over dramatizing a bit), it was a good lesson for me to get called to the witness stand that day. For one because I need to learn to stand for Christ, even when I don't know all the answers...and what better place than to do it now, when there's still room to make mistakes without being whisked off to prison. And for two, I need to remember that when the final judgement day comes around, it's not about me anyway! As long as I've confessed my sins and surrendered my heart to Him, as long as I've allowed Him to live in and thru me, He will be the one covering for me at the final trial - He will stand in my place. I don't know about you, but that brings a lot of peace and encouragement to my heart.
"And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: This is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." Isa 25:9
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