November 19, 2025 Devo

Many years ago, I was sitting in a traffic court waiting for a friend. A name and case number were called, and a man walked up to the podium. “How do you plead?” the judge asked. “Not guilty, Your Honor,” the man replied. “Can I explain why?” he asked the judge. “Certainly,” the judge responded. The man then began to tell his story of what happened. But as soon as the man began talking, the judge entered into a hushed conversation with an assistant who was at his side. The judge didn’t look at the man, ask him any questions, or even acknowledge him in any way. The man finished his story as the judge continued to speak to his assistant for a moment or two longer. The judge then turned and struck his gavel. “Guilty as charged. That’ll be $150. Pay the clerk. Next case!”
My mouth hit the floor. I’d never seen such a display of uncaring power. The man had totally wasted his breath. He wasn’t treated as a citizen with rights or even a human being who was worthy of being heard. He was just another case. He was just a number on a daily ledger. I don’t know whether he had a good reason for whatever violation he was accused of breaking or not. But even if the judge had still fined him, he would have made that man feel a lot more worthwhile if he had just listened to him.
Our psalmist says that’s one of the reasons he loves God so much. God LISTENS. The Lord is the most powerful being in the entire universe. But He listens. God isn’t voted into His position, so no one has any sway over Him. But He listens. God has the responsibility to oversee all of His Creation and keep up with billions of lives. Yet, when any one of us needs to talk, He listens.
So go ahead and plead your case. Tell God why you need His mercy today. The predicament you’re in may be entirely your fault. But God will listen. You may have violated His laws in a hundred different ways. But God will listen. You may come before Him with the realization that you deserve absolutely nothing from Him. But still, He will listen. God is a powerful Judge who is FOR you and not against you. He is one who will not only dispense a little mercy from time to time, but one who is known to lavish mounds of undeserving grace. Wherever you are, in the midst of whatever you’re going through, you can cry out to Him. God will listen. So go ahead, plead your case. Tell Him your story, and make your requests known to Him. The Judge who loves to rule in your favor is sitting in the Judgment Seat today. And He is listening. That’s God’s Word for you today.