A New Day

By: Pastor Johnie Akers     

Galatians 3:17, “And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.”  An elderly man whose son had been convicted of gross crimes in the army and sentenced to be shot came to plead with Lincoln. As the boy was an only son, the case appealed to Lincoln; but he had just received a telegram from General Butler which read: “Mr. President, I beg you not to interfere with the court martial’s of this army. You will destroy all discipline in the army.” Lincoln handed the old man the telegram, and he watched the shadow of disappointment and sorrow come over the man’s face as he read the message. The Presidentsuddenly seized his hand and exclaimed “Butler or noButler here goes!” He wrote out an order and handed it to the father. The man read the order which was as follows: “Job Smith is not to be shot until further orders from me, Abraham Lincoln.” “Why,” said the father, “I thought it was going to be a pardon. You may order him to be shot next week.” “My old friend,” said Lincoln, “evidently you do not understand my character. If your son is never shot until an order comes from me, he will live to be as old as Methuselah.”  Was Job Smith guilty of the crimes for which he had been convicted?  In the eyes of a military court, he was.  Was he, therefore, deserving of the punishment decreed by the military court?  When measured against the code of military justice, he was.  Yet regardless of his conviction and subsequent sentence under the tenants of military law, another law prevailed—mercy and grace.  Job Smith was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to death, based on law.  President Lincoln’s stay of execution was based on a higher standard—mercy.  You and I were in the same position as Job Smith.  According to God’s law, we were guilty of sin, and deserved death.  Then God superseded the law by a principle that the law can never disannul—mercy and grace.  Our execution has been stayed.  We now can live; and enjoy the new life His grace brings, for each new day.