A Slice of Time

The pastor leading the funeral service spoke of a young lady who was a tomboy, who loved to run and climb trees. It made me smile for the woman’s body laying there in the casket behind him was that of an elderly, heavy-set woman. There was no clue that she had those interests when a child! Talking with another man who is now a tender-hearted grandpa, a man who loves kids, I was astonished to learn that he was a juvenile delinquent who ended up as a Marine carrying a machine gun in Viet Nam at the height of that terrible war. Who knew? But, that discovery explained many of his not so great choices made along the way in life since then. When people learn that as a teenager I spent every summer turning wild colts into riding horses, I often see suppressed smiles, too. It seems unbelievable (even to me!) that I was once that kind of physical, earthy man! Now I love my books and my quiet study.

Before we move too quickly to reach a conclusion about another person, we need to remember that we see only a slice in time of his life. How easily we can judge him without knowing how he was parented, what kinds of experiences he have survived along the way, or the people who have influenced him. No wonder Jesus cautions us: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged." (Matthew 7:1, NIV) The sins, fears, and values of the people we live among have a context in life and that context makes a big difference when it is understood!

Take a look at Jesus’ wisdom. "For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye." (Matthew 7:2-5, NLT) Let’s not get Him wrong. He didn’t say, “I’m OK and you’re OK!” He didn’t tell us that we could not challenge people to change. He told us to deal with our own sins, to get honest with ourselves first and only then can we help another deal with his sins.

Here’s a wonderfully comforting (or maybe threatening?) truth. God will not judge you or me based on a tiny slice in life! Thankfully, it won’t be just our last few moments of life here on earth that prepares us to stand before Him. I chuckle to think that as a young boy I was so scrupulous each night to make sure that I ‘fessed up to God about my life that day just in case the I died or He called His Church home in the Rapture. (Yes, it was always there, but not as the Blessed Hope. It was the Great Dread!) What I failed to understand was that God saw my whole life, not just my paranoid bedtime prayers!

The Lord knows your scars and your opportunities, your motives and your reasons. He sees who you are, where you came from, and knows what you did and/or could have done. Isn’t that a wonderful thought? Disciple, we are saved through Christ’s sacrifice that makes us right with God. When we stand before Him at the Judgment Seat, it will be His righteousness that opens the Eternal Presence of God to us.

And, there will be an accounting, a ‘no bull’ session with the Lord of Glory that the Word describes this way: "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." (1 Corinthians 3:11-15, NIV) Thankfully, He knows it ALL!

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Before the throne of God above,
I have a strong, a perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in heaven He stands,
No tongue can bid me thence depart,
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there,
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the Just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me,
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the Risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I Am,
The King of glory and of grace,
One with Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God,
With Christ my Savior and my God.

One with Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God,
With Christ my Savior and my God.

Before The Throne Of God Above

Cook, Vikki / Bancroft, Charitie Lees© 1997 PDI Worship (Admin. by The Copyright Company)
CCLI License No. 810055