Crime of Love - A Devotional - Jeff Dalton
This story starts out with a judge and his only child, his son. This son was different from other children, while the other children were defiant and using their favorite word no. The judge's son lived in complete obedience with his father and his favorite word was yes.
This perfect obedience continued throughout the son's adult life. Not one time did the judge's son tell his dad "no" or "I will not do that." This son was not only obedient to his father but also to every governing authority. He had complete respect for those in authority and for the laws in which they made and kept.
One day the judge's son saw a man who had zero respect for his own father and his favorite word growing up was no. Whatever his father wanted him to do he would do the exact opposite, and had no problem telling his father, "I will not do that."
What is more, is this son's disobedience carried into his adult life. Because he had no respect for his father he had no respect for authority and for the laws they made and kept. This man especially had zero respect for the judge and his laws. What is more, is this man did everything he could to go against the judge and his laws and lived in complete disobedience to every governing authority.
Finally, like so many people, the law caught up to this man that the son noticed. His crime was something he had never done before. One day in anger he killed an innocent man. He was arrested and was brought before the son's father, the judge, had a fair trail, was found guilty and was sentenced to death for killing another human being.
During the trial the judge's son had compassion for the recently accused man. He saw what no one else saw. Whenever he looked at the man he saw past the years of disobedience and even past his most recent crime. When the son looked at the man he saw a soul in desperate need to be saved.
After sentencing, the son went to his father, the judge and shared his concern for the accused man. The son talked about how this man was worth giving a second chance, simply because he was a human being. The judge who was as equally compassionate as his son agreed with everything his son said. However, in sadness the judge told his son there was nothing he rightfully could do. Simply because it was the judge, the son's father who made the law and therefore was obligated to uphold the law, and thus punish all who break the law. Even tough the son's father told him something that he did not want to hear, he saw that his father was filled with compassion. He knew that if the judge, his father knew there was a way to give the accused man a second chance, he would do it in a heartbeat.
One day the son went up to his father the judge. He said, "Father, I know you want to give the accused man a second chance. I know you are like me and see past this man's long life of disobedience and disrespect, for all authority and all laws. I know if there was a way to save this man from death, in which he rightfully deserves, you would do it. But I know that you are a fair and just judge. Because it is you who made the law, therefore you have to uphold it, even to the point of sentencing all lawbreakers. I have thought long and hard, on how we can save this man from certain death. And after much thought I have come to one conclusion. Father, arrest me for his crime, put me on trail for what he did, and let your sentence fall on me instead of him. Let me be found guilty and he be found innocent. Let me die in his place so he may live."
The judge's heart broke when he heard his one and only son speak. However, the father knew the only way to set the accused man free, was to replace the man's life with his son's life Through his tears the father said to his son, "Son I have hoped that in all your years I had instilled in you compassion for people, especially for the wayward and the lost. When I pasted my sentence on this man, I planned to set his life free by putting your life to death. However, I did not say anything or even give any subtle hints to my plan to you. Nor was I was going to put my plan into action till you came to me first. Not until I knew that you thought like me and your heart beats the same as mine for the wayward and for the lost people of this world. For the ones who have chosen to live their lives in complete disobedience, to me and my laws. Who have committed murder both in their hearts and some through their actions. Yes son, I will the do very thing I had planned from the beginning and that you have requested."
The next day the judge had his son arrested for the accused man's crime. He tried his son based on not what the son did but on what the man did. Then in one agonizing moment, the judge passed judgment on his son. "Son, I have let this accused man's crime be placed upon you. I have tried you in his place. And now I sentence you in his place. Therefore, you instead of he, will pay for the crime that was committed. You, not him, will pay for the years of disobedience and disrespect towards my authority and for my laws. Today I sentence you to death and sentence him to life." As soon as the hammer hit the gravel the judge's son was taken out of the court room, where the judge looked away because of the anguish that filled his heart.
The next day the son was led to the place of execution. Before dying the son asked the judge for one more thing. He asked his father to forgive the accused man and to treat him like a son. Through the pain and sadness the judged smiled and said, 'I will. I will adopt him as my son; he will have the same rights as you. Everything that belongs to you will also belong to him." When the judge was done speaking through his tears the son died by execution, with complete forgiveness for the man whom he took the blame for and died in his place.
My friends this story actually took place a long time ago; with the judge being God, the son being Jesus Christ and you and me being the accused. What the son and the judge did in this story, is exactly what God and his one and only son, Jesus Christ did for you and me on a cross "For God so loved the world (you and me) that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17).
By, Jeff Dalton copyright 2008 This devotional is based on a Christian shirt we carry. Come and check us out. Jeff Dalton 260-557-2600 Grace Reminders [http://www.naturescry.com] Nature's Cry is an attempt to capture creation's many declarations, concerning the reality of God and who He is, through the means of digital photography. Nature's Cry also seeks to write about different people's experiences with God's existence and character, through the means of poems, thoughts and jokes. "'I tell you,' He replied, 'if they keep quite, the stones will cry out.'" Luke 19:40 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Dalton Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1716161