Justification /// Live

Here she stood before the judge, awaiting her sentence.

“You have been found guilty and must face death,” declared the judge.

She has no words with which to defend herself, for she knows that she is guilty and most assuredly deserves to die. Her head hangs low, weighted down with a crown made up of sins and iniquities, its weight bearing down upon her. It declares loudly of her guilt.

“Help,” She whispers, wishing that she was strong enough to lift the condemning crown off of her head, away from herself.

The judge stands, removes his robe, and laying it aside, steps down from his judgment seat.

Is he going to kill her now? Right here?

 If she is going to die now, then it is no less than she deserved, for what does she have left that is worth living for? Just to go one carrying this crown that she had formed over the years?  She felt almost crushed by it—helpless.

The judge steps towards her.

She is a child of darkness and corruption. She cannot even look into the eyes of this judge who possessed blameless heart and on whose head was a crown, shining and pure. Yes, it is best if he just ends her bondage of living a life of only pain, sin, and darkness—void of love.

“You may leave now” the judge pronounced softly as he lifted her face up to look into his.

“But you said that I must die, for I am guilty?”

“I did” he says, removing his perfect crown. “But I will take your place.” And he lifts the crown of bondage from the girl's head and places it on his own.

            “You are going to die for me? Why?” She asks as tears stream down her face

            And he places his crown upon her head, trading places. He speaks “Because I love you.”.

            “For your sins, someone must die. And I am willing. I love you. Go and LIVE for I have set you free, my child.”

            He gently pushes her from the room as she stands there stunned.

He had given her his crown. It is so light, so beautiful. He had traded places with her, died for her. He had lifted the load that she hadn’t been able too.

Relieved of the heavy load of her former crown, she stood, her new identity held high. A child of her Savior, she walked out of the big doors and down the front steps, to face the world with new eyes.  Now she could truly LIVE.