What Did He Write In the Dust?

I started my morning off by reading the story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11).  I have read this story many times.  The story where the Pharisees bring a women into the temple who has been caught in the act of adultery and set her up for death by stoning.

I am captivated by Jesus response, as the Pharisees tried to trap him, in stooping down to write in the dust with his finger.  What did he write?

The Pharisees did not like his writing in the dust and they demanded an answer from him concerning what should be done to this woman.  He stood up from the sand and said, "All right, stone her.  But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!"

Then he stooped back down and continued to write in the sand.

It drives me crazy that scripture does not say what He wrote.  All we know is it was powerful enough that each of the accusers slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest.

There are many thoughts as to what he wrote.  Did he write the personal sins of the Pharisees standing in that crowd?  Did he write the law out perfectly bringing great attention to the detail they had purposely left out of the law?  Did he write each of the Pharisees names in the dust?

Once the room cleared it was just Jesus in the middle of the room with the woman caught in adultery.  I wonder what she thought?  I wonder if she was scared?  I wonder if she was in awe?  I wonder if she feared to look him in the eye?  I wonder if she was even educated enough to know what was "theologically" occurring around her?

Jesus stood up and said to her, "Where are your accusers?  Didn't even one of them condemn you?"  "No, Lord," she said.  And Jesus said, "Neither do I.  Go and sin no more."  

I read this story and I think I would react the way Jesus did.  FULL. OF. GRACE.  But, the truth is..... more times than I care to admit, I am on the other side of Jesus' writing in the dust.  Most of the time it is not over issues as deep as adultery.  God continues to press into me and remind me of HIS FULLNESS OF GRACE and how I fail often to extend it on many occasions.

I encourage you to read this story from John 8:1-11 and allow the Lord to unpack some thoughts that will stir your heart.  I hope you will be reminded, as I was, that as His follower, I have been washed clean and stand before Him blameless FULL OF HIS GRACE.  I, am no different from the woman who looked him full in the face across the dust floor of the temple.

I will leave you with my friend Michele's recipe for a homemade laundry detergent that I LOVE! 

 (Hint: all of these things can be found in the laundry aisle of your grocery store.  

You won't find Fels-Naptha Soap at Target,)

 

2 cups Arm and Hammer Washing Powder

2 cups Borax Powder

2 scoops Oxi Clean

2 bars of Fels-Naptha Soap (grated)

Mix it all together

Just takes 2 Tablespoons for each load.

It's H.E. friendly.

My front loader washer loves it (no mildew-y smell with this detergent)

It's cheap to make.