Gospeling Your Life ~ Written in Sand

 

Read John 7-8 ~ Jesus shows up in chapter 7 at a major Jewish religious festival, the Festival of Booths.  He creates quite a stir, makes a scene.  He starts challenging the preachers and teachers, demanding the organist to play certain hymns, and offering his own prayers.  In some way, I wonder, what would I do if Jesus showed up on Sunday and did that at our church?  Would I embrace this rebel-rouser or ask the ushers to call the authorities?  Would I recognize God’s love incarnate or would I want to protect/hide behind the way things are supposed to be done?  And not only does Jesus cause a stir, some in the crowd think, “He’s got a point.”  They start calling him the Christ or Savior or Messiah.  Quick aside, remember that is political language.  Caesar (and Caesar alone) was the Savior, that job was taken and no one else should even dare apply.  This creates more chaos as people try to arrest Jesus and creates division among people.  Good Lord, that sounds like the news I read this morning.  Then, there is this powerful story of a woman caught in adultery.  Note, where is the man?!?  We all know, to quote my grandma, “It takes two to tango.”  But apparently the guy got to walk away, because, sigh, that is still heartbreakingly truth today.  Jesus writes something in the dirt (8:6) and inquiring minds, like mine, what to know, what did he write??  Did he write the man’s name?  Did he start writing the law, which commanded that both parties be held responsible and accountable?  Did he start writing down what others in the crowd did?  Whatever he wrote, the people drop their rocks, and slowly back away.  And yet, friends, we still carry rocks and throw them around.  Oh, today it is much more anonymous online or gossip behind people’s backs or in parking lots after the meeting.  Jesus says in verse 12, I am the light.  Light helps us see and light casts a shadow, both are truth.  To abide, be present, and take up residence in the presence of Jesus will not be all pony rides and chocolate rivers, we will face our shadow sides.

 

You may want to light a candle today and ponder where you are at.  Where is just stirring up dust in your life?  Where is Jesus writing in the soil of your soul, what do you sense him writing?  Where is your shadow that you are protecting (or ignoring) because we have rocks to throw at those people?  May these questions cause all of us to know that as we drawn to abide in the light, there is work to be done in us, through us, around us, and only by the grace of God. Amen.