The Highest Court

Read Proverbs 17

Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—both are detestable to the LORD.

Proverbs 17:15

We’ve all heard stories about prisoners being set free after spending years in prison for a crime they did not commit. Whatever the reason, the results are always devastating. It fills our hearts with joy to hear of an innocent man being set free after a false imprisonment.

Regardless of what we see on the news or read in the papers, God keeps tabs on everything. This proverb tells us about God’s response when he sees lies take precedence and the innocent condemned. The story of Jesus is the ultimate wrongfully accused story—a man who came to save us, who had done nothing wrong at all, was imprisoned, tried, and convicted without a fair trial.

This is the depth of God’s love for us. Although he despised the situation, he used it to defeat Satan and his lies once and for all and to grant us all eternal life. Although as sinners we were part of the crowd that called for Jesus to be crucified, now that we are born again we have right standing with God and the ability to live a life that is pleasing to him.

A WORD FOR TODAY

The gray area between guilt and innocence is a steel curtain.

Today, Lord, I choose you. I choose honesty and truth, and I pray that you would help me to live out these ideals today as I face so many different challenges from Satan. Protect me and give me the strength that I need to stand firm for you.