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By Mike Caton

John 8:16, But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.

Make no mistake, there will be a day of judgment. There is a popular statement that occasionally floats around; Only God Can Judge Me! People often use that as an excuse for what they are doing, telling others to mind their own business, and that they will do whatever they want to do. And it is true, God is the ultimate judge. And honestly, that ought to scare us to death! Because God sees the truth, he sees the attitudes of our heart, he sees our thoughts and our motives. We might appear to others to be doing good, doing right. But God sees and knows all.

And this is just a reminder that Jesus and God, Son and Father are one. That is what the Pharisees and other religious leaders were so upset about. They could not imagine God becoming man, and Jesus certainly didn’t meet their expectations of the Messiah. But all of that is beside the point. Jesus is the Son of God, he is God in the flesh, he is the Messiah, the Christ who came to earth. Jesus came to honor the Father, and that is what he did perfectly. Whether we accept that or not, it is still the truth.

And so, we need to accept it. And we need to conform our lives to the standard that God has set. This is not about measuring up to a certain standard, it is not about being good enough, it is not about reaching a certain mark. It is about accepting the free gift of salvation that only God can give. And it is about living our lives to show our love and appreciation to the God who gives it. We will stand before God one day. And we need to stand with Jesus.

Father, thank you again for your grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Mike Caton is the preacher at Mount Olive Church of Christ in Belhaven. He volunteers at the Ponzer Fire Department and works part time with Hyde County EMS. If you would like to receive daily devotions in your inbox, email mikecaton@centurylink.net.

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