Justified... Aquitted!

Imagine you’ve been charged to court for one of the most gruesome offenses in the land… eating chicken! I mean, why would you take such a chance? It’s unthinkable, not even your friends fully understand why you would break that law. Not even your parents can stand you for this horrendous act. The human right groups are backing the animal right groups in protesting against you.

Your hearing is before the most feared judge in the country and as if that’s not enough, the district attorney decides to be the prosecutor for this case, it’ll boost his CV, because everyone has interest in this case, he’s one of the most convincing attorneys ever, with overwhelming success in prosecuting the toughest cases in the land.

It doesn’t help that you can’t afford a fancy lawyer, and your parents wouldn’t assist you with the money you need. A soft-spoken and gentle pro bono lawyer is all the option you’ve got, because not even the pro bonos want to be involved in this case.

Your lawyer reminds you of a picture of a lamb and you wonder how he can stand against the sly wolf of a prosecutor. Your defense attorney sits still, as you listen to the prosecutor make such a case, even you sentence yourself before the judge can. You still can’t figure out what made you stupid enough to eat that chicken, or think no one would find you out (and oh mine, how delicious it was, why would they make such joy a crime). It’s hopeless and you’re smart enough to know just how hopeless it is. You hope it’s a death sentence, and an immediate one, because jail would be a terror for you, even the criminals would be disgusted with you for such a heinous offense, and give you another sentence within your sentence.

The soft-spoken defense attorney rises and he speaks for you, you can hardly make sense of what he says, it doesn’t sound as fancy as the wolf, it sounds plain and simple, definitely unintelligent in your ears…

There’s a thirty-minute recess after he speaks. The longest thirty minutes of your life.

As you walk back into the courtroom, your attorney gives you a reassuring pat on the back, you look at the prosecutors sly smile and turn to see the judge look at you intensely.

The judge smiles at you… you look at your defense attorney’s calm look, and then look behind to see if there’s someone else in his line of vision that the smile is directed at.

Lamide adetutu… you have been acquitted of your crime… not guilty, your advocate has spoken for you… and he has justified you. We’re not saying you haven’t committed a crime or you don’t deserve all the punishment that’s to come your way, but you have been spoken for. A case like never before has been made on your behalf. You are free to go, and please don’t ever eat chicken again. Your record will be clear, you will not have a record, and as much as we can’t stop the newspapers from publishing stories or the whispers from the people, we are glad to inform you that the law has favored you.

Just like that? You didn’t even have to pay your lawyer a cent!

Acquitted, justified! You’re certainly not under the law now.

Disclaimer…Apology to every chicken lover world over… I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. This isn’t a diss. I love chicken! I am a chicken fan! Roasted, fried, stewed, souped or grilled, I treasure my nandos loyalty card and look forward to my free full chicken rewards. Chickens are delicious! This in no means reflects my feelings for chicken, I am indeed a fan of chicken meat, and the bones are a delight in moments when I lay aside my outfit of prim and proper!

Isn’t it wonderful what Jesus has done for us? He came to the world, not to condemn us or judge us for all the wrongs (wrongs that certainly beats eating chicken) we have done but to save us… He has spoken up for us even when we broke all the law… graceBABYgrace!

God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. John 3:17(MSG)

God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. Romans 3:24(MSG)

[All] are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24(AMP)

Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. Romans 3:24(NLT)

Thank God for grace.