Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were the first spies ever to be executed for conspiracy to commit espionage for giving information about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. As a result of their conviction, they were put to death in the electric chair in Sing Sing Prison, New York.
In his summation at the end of the grueling and bitter trial, the lawyer for the Rosenbergs said with deep emotion, “Your Honor, what my clients ask for is justice.”
“The court has given what you have asked for - justice!” replied Judge Irving Kaufman. “What you really wanted is mercy. But that is something that this court has no right to give.”
This response from the judge has scriptural bearing: no one is good - no one in all the world. Each and every one of us have sinned. If God gave us justice, each one of us would have our place in hell - separated from God forever.
We are reminded of this fact in Psalm 130:3 where we read, “If You, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? “ He then answers it with a gracious promise that brings the peace of God: “But with You there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence serve You.”
If God kept a record of our sins - or if He held a grudge against us - we could say that He purposefully built a barrier between Himself and us so that we would be separated from Him forever.
But He did not do that. He sent His one and only begotten Son to be our one and only Savior. Now, we have access to Him, when we repent, because of His mercy.
Prayer: Thank You, Father, for Your willingness to forgive us of our sins and grant us Your love and salvation. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Scripture for Today: Psalm 130:3-4 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
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