It’s Monday. Welcome to a new week. Today is the day for “Monday Ministry.” Did you know that Attorney Dean Burnetti went to seminary before he was called to the legal field? The following is a devotion given to you by Dean…
Psalms 100:1-5 – Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
I cannot tell you that I’ve never been afraid of going to court. But this is my 37th year of being a lawyer. I have been to court hundreds of times. So, I’m rarely overcome with fear or anxiety. But this has not always been the case in my career.
I remember the very first time I went to appear for a simple arraignment proceeding at the courthouse in Oklahoma City. I needed to memorize certain things to say. I practiced for hours before a mirror making my statements so I would get it right. The problem was that I memorized it too well. I didn’t realize that I was talking faster than those messages you hear at the end of a car sales commercial.
On the day I was to appear before the court, I was ready. When my turn came, I jumped up before the judge, and without prompt, rattled off the words I had memorized, like a machine gun. There was a pause, then the judge and attorneys around me all broke out in laughter.
I was so embarrassed! I turned and immediately exited the courtroom. I ran to the bathroom and locked myself in a stall. I wanted to die, and I was sure that I was ready to quit. The thought of going back into any courtroom caused me to feel fear and anxiety on a level I cannot even describe. But I went back. Those who had just before been laughing, embraced and encouraged me.
I know that in this passage, the Lord was not talking about a court like our present-day courts. He was talking about God’s temple and court. But all of us have had experiences that have left us afraid and overwhelmed with the thought of returning before God’s presence.
Today, know that God will never laugh, judge, or ridicule you when you return to His presence. And if the people in a church look upon you with laughter, ridicule, or judgement, you need to: present yourself to God, return to your fellowship with Christ, and find a new church. You are His and always will be.
Stay healthy and have a blessed week!
~Dean Burnetti
Today`s Devotion 