“Burn Her!”

Today I bare my soul to share with you my personal devotional diary:  Thursday 1-15-15 (Home)   

Scripture reading:  Gen 37-39     Ps 7     Luke 15

S.  Gen 38:24-25 About three months later, word reached Judah that Tamar, his daughter-in-law, was pregnant as a result of prostitution. "Bring her out and burn her!" Judah shouted. But as they were taking her out to kill her, she sent this message to her father-in-law: "The man who owns this identification seal and walking stick is the father of my child. Do you recognize them?" NLT

O. Tamar had been promised to Judah’s son, Shelah, but Judah later withdrew his promise apparently leaving her shamed and unable to ever marry another in that culture.  So she devises a plan.  She disguises herself as a veiled prostitute and sits at the city gate of a little town where her once-to-be father-in-law, Judah is passing by.  He falls for the trap and has sex with her.  She successfully conceals her identity and insists that he leave his personal identification seal and his special walking stick with her until he sends a sheep as payment.  Judah sends servants with a sheep to pay the local prostitute and recover his seal and cane, but all the neighbors say this town doesn’t have a prostitute.  So Judah says, “Okay, whoever she is, let her keep my cane and seal!  No big deal.” 

Three months later the report comes to Judah that his once promised, but jilted daughter-in-law, Tamar, is pregnant from prostitution.  Judah shouts, “Take her out and burn her for this evil deed!”  As they grab her to take her to her death, she produces Judah’s seal and cane and tells them, “The owner of these items is the father of the child in my womb!”  Snap!  Judah was caught in the trap.  He was as guilty as she! 

A.  Does anybody need a plot for a novel or a movie?  There are lots of them in this the very first book of the Bible.  Oh! How quick we are to see the guilt and sin of other people and how blind and defensive we are of our own.  Jesus went to the heart of the issue with only a few words in John 8:7 “All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!" NLT

P.  Lord, why am I so judgmental when I see other ministers of the gospel caught in the trap of sexual sin or monetary fraud, leaving an ugly blot upon the name of Christianity?  Am I so perfect as to be their judge?  Am I, like Judah, quick to send them off to be burned?  If You, my God were to open my brain and display before the whole world my every evil thought and deed, would I not slump away and hide in shame?  Oh!  How I thank You, Lord, for Your cleansing power and precious promises!  You say, “Come now, and let us reason together… Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isa 1:18)  You say through Your servant, John: “If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. (1 John 1:8-10)  I praise You, my Savior!  I only confessed it to You and You have forgiven me.  You have cleansed me.  You have placed it all under the blood, Your precious blood.  Today I plead the blood over my thoughts and actions.  Keep me under the blood.  Protect me!  And may I never shame Your Holy Name by evil thoughts or actions!  I confess.  I am only a sinner, saved by grace!

When I was a child we used to sing this great old song:  

Only a Sinner Saved by Grace by James Gray  

(I just found it again in my Pastor William Booth-Clibborn’s old songbook, Victory Songs No.4. and went to the piano to play and sing it… and to praise God!  I am saved by His grace!)

Naught have I gotten but what I received;
Grace hath bestowed it since I have believed;
Boasting excluded, pride I abase;
I’m only a sinner, saved by grace!

Refrain
Only a sinner, saved by grace!
Only a sinner, saved by grace!
This is my story, to God be the glory
I’m only a sinner, saved by grace!

Once I was foolish, and sin ruled my heart,
Causing my footsteps from God to depart;
Jesus hath found me, happy my case;
I now am a sinner, saved by grace!

Refrain
Only a sinner, saved by grace!
Only a sinner, saved by grace!
This is my story, to God be the glory
I’m only a sinner, saved by grace!

Tears unavailing, no merit had I;
Mercy had saved me, or else I must die;
Sin had alarmed me fearing God’s face;
But now I’m a sinner saved by grace!

Refrain
Only a sinner, saved by grace!
Only a sinner, saved by grace!
This is my story, to God be the glory
I’m only a sinner, saved by grace!

Suffer a sinner whose heart overflows,
Loving his Savior to tell what he knows;
Once more to tell it would I embrace
I’m only a sinner saved by grace!

Refrain
Only a sinner, saved by grace!
Only a sinner, saved by grace!
This is my story, to God be the glory
I’m only a sinner, saved by grace!

"And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner."