Forgiving eyes

Forgiving eyes (John 8: 1-11)

Surrounded with shouts.........the cruel accusations

Dragged to the court..........no hope of salvation

All hope was lost......for those who had caught me

knew what I was

They knew all about me.
I thought it seemed strange.....as we entered in

They stopped a young rabbi....to ask his opinion

Caught in the act.....their reason for hating

My body could feel the stones that were waiting.

My judgment from Galilee

In his eyes so gentle I could see

A Father and a Brother and a Son.

Just as I saw him, the hope I had lost

became born again..........I was not hopeless

Though I'd been lost, now I felt I was found

When he looked at me ..........with his forgiving eyes

The crowd gathered round......so angry and violent

But he stood beside me........peaceful and silent

Then with a word....with one question

He showed them

that they too were guilty

and could not condemn

The next thing I knew
He asked me, "Where are they?"

Then I looked around....the courtyard was empty

The stones scattered around

the warm morning sunlight

He'd made the darkness perfectly light

In this new light now I understood

He would not condemn me.......though he could

For he would be condemned

someday for me.......

(by Michael Card)

Michael Card is a songwriter who with his songs helps us dive deeply into Scripture, in a way that engages our whole being. The lyrics of his songs break open the hardness of heart that often comes with too much familiarity with Scripture. Such songs may lead us again to the One whose heart never tires of seeking ours.

To have met Jesus, the One with "forgiving eyes" is something all of us who claim to be his followers have done, perhaps many times. What is that experience like? What is it like to know oneself a sinner, to have broken the heart of the One who loved us from all eternity and yet look up and see his "forgiving eyes"?

The experience was very healing for me. I had asked God's forgiveness and yet there was some kind of obstacle to accepting it at a deep level. For me, the freedom came by being guided through imagery prayer....where I 'saw' Jesus at the Cross, waiting for me to hand him all that weighed me down. With a gentle look, he took it all from me and placed it behind him. In that prayer 'ritual' I felt myself being set free by the One who loved me so much that he chose to bear the consequences of my wrongdoing. That happened many years ago, and yet the memory comes back each time I have to seek the Lord's forgiveness. And each time, I remember and I know how Jesus constantly looks upon me with "forgiving eyes".

As we journey towards Holy Week, perhaps we should pause to re-experience Christ's forgiving love for ourselves, to know our belovedness so that we may incarnate the compassion of Christ in our own lives.