Week 32—Friday John 7:14-18
Week 32—FRIDAY
“WHEN YOU SPEAK, GOD SPEAKS”
As we have been discussing the Word become flesh, in specific situations, I am reminded that I am in a section of India, Kerala, where an Indian Christian judge used to arise at 4:00 A.M. and have an hour of devotion and prayer, and then still kneeling he would write the judgments of the day. He would thus take the justice of God and translate it into courtroom justice—the word of Justice become flesh. No wonder his judgments were permeated with something beyond human wisdom. A Brahmin lawyer got out of hand one day in the court and the judge said, “I’m sorry, but I’ll have to fine you for contempt of court.” The lawyer straightened up and said, “Your Honor, if you fine me I will take it as the very judgment of God, for when you speak God speaks.” The word of justice had become flesh.
Another step further was taken by Supreme Court Judge Youngdahl of Minnesota, who heard me say that Christian people should go into politics with the same sense of dedication as a person going into the ministry and that services of commission and consecration should be had for them just as we have ordination services for those going into the ministry. It went home: “Why shouldn’t I give up the securities of the Supreme Bench and go into politics to help clean up the State?” He did, was reelected three times governor, and did just that—he helped clean corruption from the state. He was the word of justice become flesh where it counts—at the place of putting laws into effect.
Tucson, Arizona, was fast becoming disreputable, another Las Vegas, a Reno. One hundred citizens, banded together by a common purpose—to clean up Tucson—went to work and did just that. And now Tucson is one of the most respectable and progressive cities in America. The word of public sentiment became flesh in a hundred citizens. And the Word become flesh became power.
O God, our Father, today I shall meet situations which will need action—dedicated, determined action. Help me this day to meet everything with a prayer and a purpose to turn every opportunity into obligation and every obligation into operation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I shall be at the disposal of God today to make by God’s grace all my Christian attitudes into Christian actions.