Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Oh what a Savior!

If you are breathing right now then you probably have some knowledge of the Casey Anthony trial that recently finished up in Florida.  A young woman accused of murdering her little girl has spent the last few years in jail awaiting trial.  Her trial recently finished up and she was found not guilty of the murder.  She was found guilty of lying to the police and was sentenced for that crime but time already served was credited to that and she was released from jail this past Sunday.

Oh the outrage that this verdict caused!  This woman will probably not have an easy life outside of jail since most think she is guilty of this murder and the threats toward her and the media that are trying to follow her every move must make life very difficult for her.

Did this woman murder her child?  I do not know.  I did not follow the trial and I am not God.  Only God knows for sure whether this woman is guilty or innocent.....and rest assured nothing escapes His watchful eye.

So I do not write this entry about Casey Anthony.  I want to talk about our amazing Savior.  Yesterday as I was among someone who was talking about this woman, she turned and said to me "Of course, you subscribe to the theory that all she has to do is call on Jesus and ask Him for forgiveness and everything will be ok for her and she will go to heaven"  I was caught a little off guard as I had not said anything about this trial or this woman.   But this was my reply:  "I do not subscribe to a theory.  I stand on the Word of God...."  She then said "And where is that in the Bible?"  I replied "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life"  (John 3:16)

Those of us who have been Christians for a while and are familiar with these verses can quote them quickly without thinking about them....but God caused me at the moment I quoted them to really THINK about what I was saying.

The world may never leave Casey Anthony alone, hunting her down, harassing her..  She will remain "Guilty" in the eyes of the world and hated by many folks who believe with all their heart that she is a murderer of a beautiful little girl.  But God...(you've got to love that phrase..."But God") is not like us.  Even if she is guilty, the Hound of Heaven is on the hunt of her!  Not so He can follow her with a camera and televise her every move, not so He can harm her and harass her and make her life a living nightmare.  The Hound of Heaven hunts her down that He might wash her in His blood cleansing her soul and pronouncing her blameless before His Father.  (Colossians 1:22)

Oh what a Savior!  Oh what a friend of sinners!  He can make the vilest sinner clean!  Who is the vilest sinner?  Oh we don't like to admit it but Casey Anthony is not the only "vilest of sinners".  You and I are right there with her.  Our only hope is not our life or our actions but our only hope is Jesus Christ.

It is not mine to judge the Casey Anthony trial.  The verdict has been read the the verdict stands.  I don't know if she is guilty or innocent.  There is probably a lot of arguments that support both sides of the story.  My job, your job is to shout from the rooftops that Jesus saves!

Are you on the run?  Are you entangled in sin, running from your accusers?  Let me encourage you to run in one direction, toward the cross!  Run into the arms that are open wide, waiting to embrace you and cleanse you!

Oh what a Savior!