The Scene and Sketch
We were on a mission trip to a sister ministry in the Antelope Valley in Southern California. Technically the area is the Western edge of the Mojave Desert. During the day I would walk out the back door for a break but the scene was not usually pleasant. The day view looking West was filled with electrical towers and lines; the wind at the west end of the valley was harsh and in your face (typically over 30 miles per hour); temperatures ranged from 95 to 104 in the afternoon.
On certain nights the scene became transformed. July 18 was one of those nights. The howling wind had stopped. The temperature was a dry 80 degrees. The quarter moon was bright. Because of the angle of the moon with the horizon, all the towers could not be seen. I could see a couple faint rows of lights on hillside highways and the faint details of the desert floor. Fence posts provided depth. Moon shadows on the posts were striking. So a scene in turmoil during the day became peaceful and beautiful just a few hours later.
The Lesson
A lady had been caught in adultery by religious leaders. They delivered her to Jesus to see what he would do but also to try to trap him. A crowd was present. It was noisy and the scene was anything but peaceful. The lady must have been in utter turmoil since the penalty in that day for her actions was death by stoning.
In all the turmoil, Jesus said a few words to her accusers. The effects of those words changed everything. People began to leave. In a few minutes, the lady and Jesus Christ were the only people present outside a group of quiet disciples. His message to her was simple: ‘I don’t condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.’ His full acceptance of her, demonstrated by his actions and his words, offered forgiveness and peace in exchange for the turmoil of her previous life and the turmoil of the situation.
His message has not changed to those who will receive it. And, he still exercises the power to deliver the same peace and the same forgiveness for any turmoil known to man. Reference: John 8 vs 2-11
