Vindication

 

Isaiah 50:8 (NRSVue) - he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand in court together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me.

Isaiah spoke of humiliation,

He also spoke of vindication.

Christ was familiar with both humiliation and vindication.

In John 8, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus.

They claimed to have caught her committing adultery.

To trap Jesus, they reminded Him that the law demanded she be stoned.

Jesus bent down and began writing on the ground with His finger.

Scripture does not tell us what He wrote.

But what He wrote had an impact.

Those who attempted to trap Him left.

In time, only Jesus and the woman remained.

John 8:10-11 (NRSVue) - Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

Christ extended his grace and mercy to the woman.

Isaiah understood that God would also offer His grace and mercy.

People will let us down.

But the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the source from which goodness springs.

They see us for who we really are.

And, despite our flaws, they extend grace, mercy, and forgiveness to us.

They give us another chance even when people are unwilling to forgive.

They even give us another chance when we are unwilling to forgive ourselves.

Then we, like the woman who stood before Jesus, should make the most of that second chance.

We too should go our way and not sin again.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, February 16, 2024.

I will be back here on Friday, February 23, 2024