Because next week is exam week I spent the day writing finals. Exams are interesting. One can quickly write an exam but that usually produces long tedious grading. One can put in lots of time writing an exam and then it is usually quickly graded. I’m still looking for the quick to write – quick to grade exams. As I was doing so I remembered when I was a little boy I was told some day I would have to be examined by God in a great day of judgment.
I even had to memorize the last verse of Ecclesiastes,”For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing,whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Now that was scary because I didn’t want to even try to explain some of my behavior. The verse said “every”. That didn’t leave any wiggle room. I also had to learn James 2:10 which said if I broke one commandment I was guilty of breaking all. Hey, why bother? I was dead meat.
How I wish someone would have encouraged me to also memorize John 5:24 where Jesus Himself said, “Truly, truly I tell you, the one who hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.”Wow! What an incredible verse! So why did I have to memorize the scary ones and not the great ones.
Jesus changed it all. Too bad Solomon never knew Jesus. If he had I am sure his letter would have finished much differently. Jesus is revolutionary. Jesus is wonderful. Jesus gives us a “Go to heaven. Do not stop at judgment” card.
Written by Roger Bothwell on December 6, 2008.
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124. St. Helena, CA 94574