Guilty

 I'm guilty. Do I want to be guilty? No, I don't want to be guilty. Do I want to make excuses to explain away the guilty, give reason for the actions of guilt? Yes. I do not want to be guilty. Being guilty is an awful thing. Having no excuse good enough to wipe away the guilty, is horrible.

You've been blindsided with horrible news, someone you love has tragically been murdered. You drown your sorrow in a few alcoholic beverages and then get up enough nerve to drive home to face the tragedy with others. On the way home you crash into another car and kill someone. You are guilty of killing someone because you chose to put alcohol into your body which caused your driving skills to be diminished. You put alcohol in your body because of a tragedy you experienced. Such a vicious turn of events. Your reason for doing what you did is comprehensible on some level but at the same time you caused yet another tragedy. Guilty. The reasons for the guilt do not negate the guilt. A penalty must be paid for the guilt. How many people have gone to prison for things they didn't mean to do, but are none the less guilty of doing. They are paying for their actions, unintentional actions perhaps but their actions. 

I am guilty. Unintentionally, and intentionally guilty. My guilt has many facets unfortunately. 

What am I guilty of? So many, many things. Chief among my guilt is my worshiping of myself above God, and the putting of myself above others. 

I am guilty.

I deserve punishment.

I stand before my judge, God the Father.

I turn to my advocate, Jesus Christ the only begotten Son. 

I yield all of me to the Son. I believe the Son alone can make me guiltless, by choosing to take my guilt upon Himself. He doesn't tell me I'm guilt free, but rather He tells me the guilt I have He will take from me, He tells me that He suffered, that He died, that He did that for me. He tells me that His blood was shed for me. He chose to end His life in order to save my life eternally.

My Savior ascended from death's darkness to heaven's light. 

My Savior stands before the Father, advocating for me right now and as long as there is time He will plead for me. When the cup is full and probation for all mankind has run out, when the Savior finishes all His advocating for all His people and the way of salvation is over, I will be on saved solely by His grace!

In the heavenly sanctuary right now Christ is advocating for us, but soon He will finish His work of advocating and take on His kingship, coming to call all His people to be with Him.

This is truth!

Lord, I am nothing, you are all. All glory to YOU, all glory to GOD.