On April 14, 1999, 32-year-old Alan Rashid stood in a Cardiff, Wales’ courtroom. He was charged with the crime of threatening to kill. Just as the foreman of the jury read the verdict, a throat-clearing cough from a fellow juror drowned out the “not” in “not guilty.” Judge Michael Gibbon and everyone else in the courtroom only heard the word “guilty”. The judge then began to announce sentencing. “The maximum sentence for making a threat to kill is 10 years. You have not pleaded guilty to this crime and you showed no remorse. Taking all things into consideration, the least sentence I can give you is two years imprisonment,” Judge Gibbon pronounced. Amazingly, none of the jurors spoke up as Rashid was led off to a cell, apparently because they believed he had been convicted of other offences. But one confused juror did ask a court usher why a man they had acquitted was being imprisoned. The court was quickly reconvened and Rashid was freed. “I am very relieved, as you would imagine,” said Rashid. “I am innocent, so when the verdict came back guilty, I was stunned,” he said.

There is no greater joy than to hear the words “not guilty” when the Lord pardons you from your sins. Are you letting others know that Jesus Christ will acquit them of their sins? Today in prayer, pray that you may share the good news of Christ with someone who does not know the Lord.

“Surely there can be no deeper joy than that of saving souls.” – Lottie Moon

God’s Word: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” – John 3:17-18

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2001, Devotional E-Mail DEVOTIONS IN TITUS, PHILEMON, AND JUDE kennedy@devotional.com