House Cleaning for the Soul

“Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet…” - Isaiah 58:1-12    

“’Woman, where are they? Has not one condemned you?’ ‘No one sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared, ‘Go no and leave your life of sin.’  - John 8”1-11

      “Shout it aloud and do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion.”  This would not be considered proper or orderly in Presbyterian worship, would it? But that is what we read from the book of Isaiah. These are hard, penetrating words aimed at God’s people. The goal is to grab your attention; to “jolt you.”; so you reflect deeply and sincerely on your relationship with God.

     The Lenten journey to the cross is the point of God’s call to all of his believers. In a way, it is a chance for self-evaluation; an honest spiritual check up; where are we in our walk with God? For throughout Lent, God calls us to give up those things that we are hanging on to and begin anew.

     Lent, however is not just about “our sins”; that is only half of the message. Lent is about the freeing power we find through grace, to walk closer with God, to see and feel the depth of the One who sent His son to the cross. There is much confusion concerning repentance and grace, depending on the message or situation, the emphasis is either on one or the other. In discussion with one of my seminary professors regrading these seemingly opposed concepts, he used a pendulum to explain their relationship. Like a pendulum moving back and forth, there are times when the emphasis has been on one of these ideas while the other is not stressed at all. At times in church history the emphasis has been on repentance at the expense of grace. While at other times, grace has been over used to cover wrongs we commit. How do we know where the balance should be? Lent serves as a time to strike the proper balance between grace and repentance while being part of the body of Christ. In many ways it reminds me of when I was young and spring arrived. My mother would do her spring cleaning, airing out the house so everything was fresh, clean and renewed. Lent is a time to “spring clean” and air out our souls.

     In John 8:11, a woman was caught “red-handed” in the act of adultery - a capital offense according to Jewish Law - at least for the woman. By rights, they were allowed to stone her for this offense. (Where the man was interestingly left out). Seeing Jesus, the Pharisees bring him into the situation not as a judge or arbitrator, but as part of a disingenuous scheme to trap him, once again. “Master, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The Law of Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. What do you say?” As I have shared with some, I have often wished I could travel back in time to witness first hand key events of history. This encounter from John’s gospel is one of those events. Jesus is bent down on the ground writing in the dirt. Rising upward, he addresses the group and states” “ye who is without sin, may cast the first stone.” Resuming his position near the ground, Jesus again begins to write on the ground. Slowly, the group of Pharisees departs. Only the woman and Jesus remain. “...Has no one condemned you? Then neither do I.” Jesus declares. “Go and leave your life of sin.”

   There is nothing more penetrating and freeing that the Savior meeting you right where you are. There is nothing more pleasing to God than releasing all your burdens, shortcomings and cares to him.  As we travel on our Lenten journey, all of us have an opportunity to cast off our burdens. We have the chance for a spiritual “do-over.” All of us have an opportunity for renewal. Are you hanging on to stuff from the past? Take a moment to write down the things you desire to remove from your life. It doesn’t matter where you are, as long as you are ready to move closer to God through Christ. This act is between you and God. But know that the Savior extends His open arms to you with the offering of forgiveness and new beginnings.

    Yours through our forgiving Christ,

    Pastor Harry