The word "selah" is a Hebrew word that is often translated as "stop and listen". Sunday morning is a perfect time for Selah, which is a beautiful sentiment in today's go-go-go society.
Selah can be music or words, a picture or a thought, a point to ponder. Stop and listen, all who have ears.
I tend to be hard on myself. I joke that it's my Catholic upbringing...the guilt that never really goes away. I've had a lot of folks try to remind me that God never intended us to continue to berate ourselves for past or perceived sin. It's a tough lesson for someone who tends to harbor perfectionist tendencies and think in black and white.
"But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." (John 8:1-11)
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." (John 8:1-11)
I've heard that story dozens of times. Usually I think "well of course I wouldn't treat another person like that". But how about myself? Why would I treat one of God's precious children like that?
A dear friend recently introduced me to a new song. And since I love to know the stories behind the songs, I found it. Story first, then song.
Selah.
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