The whole family was enjoying having company. But it was the hostess who seemed most gracious and hospitable. The smiling, motherly woman pressed the plate of cookies toward the young guest at the table. “Here, have another,” she said. “Please, it does me good to see you eat.”

“Well, alright, just one more,” the man replied, “but I’ve alrady had six.”

“Seven,” the woman said, “but who’s counting?”

Childhood images of God continue to flash before many of us in spite of our desire to have mature and insightful faith concepts. We remember images of a generous and hospitable mother, or a Santa Claus figure, making a list and checking it twice. He’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice.

A life well-lived leads to well deserved rewards and gifts. A life poorly lived results in coal in one’s stocking, and no rewards. Biblical sources are very clear about the probability of a time of judgment which will fall upon each of us.

People of faith are altogether clear that there will be a time when, in one way or another, each of us, and our lifetime of actions, will be examined and weighed. The statement of Jesus, “Judge not, that you be not judged,” has somehow helped many people avoid dealing seriously with the judgment issue.

The question of what the judgment will be like is less clear. What evidence will be considered? How will we be examined? What factors will be taken into consideration?

I, for one, have a mental image of standing before God in a great hall. The setting itself is so overpowering that I feel as an ant might feel standing before the Empire State Building.

It is frightening to think about this scene as a moment, or an eternity, during which all our misdeeds (or sins as we might call them), both of commission and omission, are marched before us. I’m sure that each of us can conceive the horror of witnessing such a parade of our failures before ourselves and before God. If this is what judgment is all about, it will be a time of real trauma.

A second possibility may be significantly less frightening. In this sense we see ourselves standing before God, but we are not alone. This time we have an advocate, Jesus, the Christ, who stands at our side and offers himself as the means by which we can be found worthy of a positive judgement.

Grace is God’s gift to us! In spite of the list which we keep in the recesses of our minds, we are welcomed into the heavenly kingdom through God’s grace. Not unlike the lady with the cookies, who watched her guests with great care and appreciation, we may stand before God with a list of shortcomings, failures, and sins a mile long and hear God say, “Two miles long, but who’s counting?”

Let us pray:

God of grace and God of glory,

On thy people pour thy power:

Crown thine ancient church’s story:

Bring her bud to glorious flower.

Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,

For the facing of this hour,

For the facing of this hour.

Help us to recognize our dependence on your grace. Amen.

Our thought for the day is this: We do not stand before God, we only kneel.

Dr. David L. Glusker is pastor of First Radio Parish Church of America, 1 Congress Square, Portland 04101. “Daily Devotions” is broadcast at 6:15 a.m. weekdays and 6:55 a.m. weekends on WLBZ-TV and WCSH-TV.