The George Zimmerman murder trial has finally concluded. Many people are frustrated by the outcome. The verdict is disappointing to me from a legal and Christian perspective in that even though the criminal justice system is not perfect it does not appear it was properly utilized and fairly applied to its fullest extent to begin with. The whole ordeal smacks of a local community in the South that probably resented the national outrage and pressure to prosecute Zimmerman later after they had already closed the investigation out. So the case was doomed from the beginning.
The authorities from the very start of this case did not appear to have conducted a very thorough investigation into the shooting death of a young unarmed black man. State witnesses were neglected and unprepared to testify at trial, which undermined their credibility. The fact that one of the detectives (a state witness) testified he thought the defendant was believable is unheard of and sums up my point about bias undertones. And so because of an incomplete and sloppy version of the facts presented at trial one of the jurors was later quoted saying that Trayvon Martin “played a huge role” in his own death. It seems pretty clear by all accounts that George Zimmerman went out of his way to escalate the situation and ended up pulling a gun when he was losing.
He’s the only person alive on this planet who truly knows exactly what happened on that day and he isn’t talking, which is his right under the law. At this point what he did on that night is between him and God. I suppose if the whole truth had been made known it’s possible he acted in self-defense but whether he acted justifiably or with criminal intent will never be known for sure.
That’s why I’m reminded of the fact that even though it’s well known in our court system that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty, a “not guilty” verdict does not necessarily mean a person is innocent. Just because Zimmerman was found not guilty doesn’t mean he acted innocently during that violent altercation with Martin. There just wasn’t enough evidence to convict him.
This frustrates me in that in our American society we rely on the trial court system to mete out justice (although designating a judge to settle disputes among people has Old Testament origins). Compared to God’s sovereign judgment our trials may be a crude blunt tool but nevertheless the criminal justice system usually satisfies our sense of justice and fair play and is designed to do just that. Ultimately we’re all subject to God’s judgment but until that day we have come to expect people to be held accountable for their human actions while here on earth. But in this case it does not appear the whole truth was ever revealed making it impossible to prove the case, and thus, justice did not play out. That alone should be disturbing to all of us.
At least these types of polarizing cases where justice seems twisted don’t occur often. But this is not the first instance where an infamous case results in a controversial verdict. I guess it’s just another reminder of how imperfect and limited we are as humans when it comes to true justice, certainly when compared to God. sigh.

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
July 21, 2013

Recently I heard very interesting and at the same time shocking news.  I had not heard about it until then, but apparently a non-profit Dutch company named Mars One announced their plans to build a colony on Mars back in April, and over 10,000 people from more than 100 countries have responded to become volunteer astronauts.  Anyone 18 or older may apply via video with a $38 application fee. The mission’s budget is said to be approximately $6 billion.  Departure for the Red Planet is scheduled for 2022, landing seven months later in 2023.   If all goes successfully, Mars One intends for a crew of four (two men and two women) to join every two years or so.   Once selected, a group of 40 astronauts will undergo seven years of training to increase their chances of survival on the tough, dangerous planet, where the atmosphere is very thin, the average temperature is about -50 degrees Celsius, and what water remains is either frozen or hidden in deep underground springs.  They will have to take care of sickness and injuries themselves and live on dried and canned food for extended periods.
Even though this kind of daring adventure does not appeal to me personally, I can see how some space exploration enthusiasts would be willing to take a risk to be the first ones to put their feet on the planet where no human being has ever walked on before.  What really shocked me, however, about this project is that what Mars One is offering is a one-way ticket to Mars!  That is the volunteer astronauts will never return to earth.  They will finish out their lives on Mars.  What is the reason?  It is because the one-way trip makes the mission possible by greatly reducing the cost, and the technology for a return flight does not exist.   I don’t care how miserable your life here on earth may be, but the finality of being isolated on a strange, harsh planet without the option to ever change your mind scares me just to think about it.  Even when I am on a family vacation, I often find myself wanting to go back home after some period of time. So I cannot comprehend why anybody would even entertain such an option.
Then this past Tuesday I attended the funeral service for Elder Young Shin (Courtney, Alice, Michelle, and Bobby’s dad), who had passed away in his sleep from a heart attack.  He’s had numerous health issues all his life, but no one was quite prepared to lose him so suddenly and unexpectedly.  It was a beautiful, God-honoring service with many people in attendance.  The highlight of the evening for me was the heartfelt eulogies shared by each of his four children. They were crying and laughing as they were reminiscing fondly about the special times they each spent with their dad.  In the midst of their sorrow, however, they could rejoice, knowing their dad is with Jesus Christ, the One whom he loved with such passion all his life.  One day all his loved ones will join him in heaven and have a fabulous family reunion.  This time they will be together forever.  Then it dawned on me.  Yes, there IS a place worth going to with a one-way ticket.  It’s a place we all MUST go to with a one-way ticket.  We don’t apply or qualify for the ticket; Jesus has already purchased the one-way tickets for us with His precious blood.  8”For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Eph. 2:8)

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
July 14, 2013