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As I entered into the court room, I felt the uncertainty within me. I heard some of the ones gathered, giggle and sneer, others sat passively, knowing that there turn to be judged awaited them. From across the room, filling the air and throbbing into my being were the railing accusations against me. Over and over the words were repeated.White Stones
By Jenna T.
"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna,
and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a
new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it."
Revelations 2:17
Everything that I stood accused of; I was without doubt, guilty of. Lies repeated, I knew I had said; the bitterness to another, I knew I had felt, murmurings, drunkeness, hatered, sexual immorality, greed; they had all been my bed fellows, at one point or another. I stood without defense and guilty.
For the onlookers I am sure they could see within me the guilt that beaded upon my face and rolled down my cheeks like an April rain. For the three panel judge; their silence was deafening, no expression foretold of my fate.
I stood there and waited, bits of eternity slowly ebbed by. Silence hung about the room, between shouts of guilt and punishment. “Stone her” I heard them say and then silence would meander in again.
On the judgment table sat my fears and my hopes, there were pages and pages of entries against me, three black highly polished stones, three pure white stones glistened in the light of the room, a large book, laid opened before the judges.
Each judge looked over the charges before them. Caution and truth was their intent. There was no rush to judge, my release or conviction would be based on the assumption of guilt or not guilty , entirely.
Finally, The Judge of all spoke, “You stand before this court, with many charges against you. How do you plead?” Words caught in my throat, along with the air of my lungs, breathing was impaired greatly. I stood silent for a time. Then suddenly urgency disappeared. Ultimately, peace returned. “My Plea?” the words hung in the space of the room, no sound was uttered by the onlookers.
Only I could have this say. I searched the caverns of my heart and soul for the needed words, the words of my mind were of no use to me now. They were words of the world. Laced with fleshly thoughts of how to manipulate a freedom I didn’t deserve. I knew better than to rely on them now. Those words were the words many had spoken in the past and granted them nothing but more moments of foolishness.
“Your Honor” I began tentatively. “My plea in this courtroom is the blood of Jesus of Nazareth, I cite the Holy Bible as my right to this claim; in Colossians 1:14 In whom we (I) have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. All things said have been true your honors, I am guilty, this confession has been mine many different times over; For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Romans10:10. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalms 119:11; that is my plea your Honor.”
Slowly I sat down, tears swelled in my eyes,as one by one the judges each placed the white stone forward. I was proclaimed innocent and found NotGuilty! Cheers from one side of the courtroom went up. The other side sat numbed by the proceedings. I jumped up with the passing of the sentence. I had been made free by the Blood of the One who had given his life for me, and now I would seek him out, to know him and to celebrate my pronouncement of innocence with him.
Today and for all eternity!
Authors Notes:
The story above is based entirely on fiction, a perchance happening. Though this story is based on this fact; of days past, when a man was brought before a judgment panel of three judges, the judges would decide guilt or innocence using the stones before them, one black (guilt) one white (innocence). Majority vote won. Guilt was a death sentence and the first three stones used to begin the sentence of stoning were the black stones of the judges. Innocence (all three stones) would mean that the innocent man would be exonerated and he and his immediate family would always have their provisions meant.How true of our future with the one true Judge of man!
