A Stunt Double

I can remember, as a young kid, wishing I had a twin brother.  Not because I wanted a brother to play with or hang out with, but because I wanted someone who could take the heat for me when I screwed up.  "It wasn't me Dad, it was him!"  When I got a little older I dropped the idea of the twin brother and decided I would like to have a stunt double.  That would be so much better.  With a stunt double, when an imposing situation came up or a job I didn't want to do, I could just substitute him for me.  That made a lot more sense to me.  There were many, many times in my life where I wished I had a stand-in.

I call on you, O God, for you will answer me, give ear to me and hear my prayer.  Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.  Psalm 17:6-7

As I was studying this Psalm, I was caught up in being saved "by your right hand."  I have read about the right hand of God many times in scripture but it struck me in a different way today.  I did a little quick net research on "the right hand of God" and there is a lot of theological consternation on the topic, information that I had heard before that seemed very "churchy" and inapplicable to a spiritually inclined life.  Then I ran across an audio clip of  pastor talking about the rule of law in the Old Testament and that when someone was being judged, they had their representative, lawyer if you will, standing on their right hand side.  The clip was short and factual and I found myself wanting a further, deeper discussion to this regards of the right hand of God but it wasn't there.  I will keep looking.

For now though, to me, this concept makes a whole lot of sense.  When I am being challenged by my foes, enemies, Satan or the like, I want to have that person of influence, power, authority representing me.  In a way, it reminds me of wanting to have a stunt double, someone to stand in for me who is stronger and better than me. Hmmm.

When a man or woman is accused of something and goes to to trial, their defender or attorney, is on their right side and the accused is on the right hand side of the Judge.  It is his or her job to stand in and stand up for the one they are defending, to represent them in their time of need.   I know that I am a sinner,I am guilty of failing miserably and that I make mistakes and that I am going to be judged on those things at the end of my mortal life.  How wonderful it is to know that, standing on my right side on that day of judgement will be Jesus, representing me, sharing with God that I am one of His.  Here is my Lord and Savior, who died on a cross, for me, standing before God, saying "He's with me."  Praise God!

Jesus died on that cross so that you and I could be free from the law and have eternal life with Him in Heaven.  Thank you, Jesus, for your saving grace, mercy and unconditional love... and for standing in as my sin-double.