Bench Lessons 3: Awaiting Custody

I was sitting at Reedley Magistrates' Court in Pendle. A woman was before the Bench for some offence which might otherwise have attracted a Community Order. However, her record was so poor and showed a pattern of offending that it was clear to all three Justices that a couple of weeks' imprisonment was the only course of action. Thanks to various reorganisations and restructurings, Reedley’s cells had long closed. The woman, the Bench chairman explained, was sentenced to two weeks, but because of a listing error (the case should have gone to Burnley where cells were still used), she would walk free until such time as the police arrested her. She was not very pleased -not at the thought of going to jail, but not being able to get it over and done with. I never knew what became of her; I suspect the police called at her address that night and spirited her off to a fortnight of Her Majesty’s hospitality. Setting her free from the court to walk away felt unjust, but, thanks to our Courts and Tribunals service, it happened.

Unbelievers are walking around, going about their business, with a heavy judgement hanging over them. As soon as death comes knocking, off they shall be taken to hades and then gehenna to serve their eternal sentence. Thank God, while we Christians are no more moral or righteous, we have a Saviour who bore our penalty on our behalf. When death comes to claim us, it will simply be God’s taxi service to heaven, where rewards, which we do not deserve, await us.

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found: call ye upon him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6, Geneva Bible