This
last month has been incredibly busy, with proofing two books from the Sister
Blue Thread series, getting ready to participate in a conference, and holidays.
Now I’m busy finishing up the third book that is due the beginning of December.
During
all of this time I’ve had so many thoughts I wanted to put down and share on
this blog, but I didn’t find the time.
One in particular keeps bouncing around in my head, so I’m taking a few
minutes before getting ready for church to share it with you.
I
shared the following in the break out sessions I did at the conference and then
amazingly when I went to church the following day, the Pastor did a talk on the
very same subject.
The
Bible tells us of a story, of when Jesus appeared at dawn in the temple courts,
and all the people gathered around him, then he sits down to teach them. The
teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who was 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?”
According
to the Bible they were asking Him the question to trick him because they wanted
to have a reason to accuse Him.
Jesus
however bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. They kept
questioning him; he then 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.
When
I read this story I can feel the anxiety the woman probably felt at that moment
waiting for the stones to start to hit her. Did she wince, I wonder? Cover her
face? Cry out? Or did she stare all of them in the face with a dare to throw a
stone at her?
The
Bible doesn’t talk about her reaction. So to me that only says it wasn’t as
important as the response of Jesus and the reaction of those around her.
What
was their reaction? They began to go away one at a time, the older ones first
until Jesus was left with the woman still standing there.
Can
you picture yourself in this position? Your sin has been brought in front of
your community; they could have punished you for your sin, but realized they had
sins of their own. And now you’re standing before Jesus.
Pretty
vulnerable position to be in, I’d say. Except, I remember a time of standing
before Him, filled with guilt and remorse, not in reality, but spiritually,
where I confessed my sins to Him, and I
got a reply pretty close to the one this woman
received.
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.”
I
can only imagine that woman went away with a grateful heart and lived a life
loving the one who saved her from being condemned from her sin. I know I did and
do.
Have
you experienced that? Or is this your experience?
This
story is a reminder to look to our own hearts and make them right with God.
Pointing fingers and judging others for their mistakes, bad judgments, isn’t
what we are called to do. Because when I bring them before Jesus, I’ve found He
deals with me, not the person I’m ratting on.
Sometimes
though, that person we’re ratting on is ourselves. We carry the weight of guilt
and condemnation for a choice that we have made in our lives. Divorce, abortion,
abandonment, stealing, failed relationships, mistakes as a parent, and many,
many other things.
It’s
carried on a person’s shoulder like a bag of garbage that they are not going to
let go of for anything.
The
Bible says that there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus our Lord.
When
we bring our sins to Him, it’s not just for a chat, but it’s to bring them to
Him and confess that we have done wrong. Now, here is the hard part, because we
think we have to pay a price.
But
we don’t. Yes, sometimes there is a consequence, but the hard part is to believe
that Jesus paid the price. He died on the cross for your failures. Not just one
or two, but for ALL of them. He alone is worthy to pay the price for our sins.
He is the Lamb of God.
Can
we, can you walk in faith that God loved the world so much, He sent His only Son
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
And
that God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save
the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever
does not believe stands condemned
already because He has not believe in the name of God’s one and only
Son.
That
is what faith is all about…believing.
Now,
let’s do what Jesus said and go and sin no more.
Oops,
I didn’t do such a great job at that. I’m still messing up. Now, my faith has to
take over in a different way. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive
ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and
just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we
claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place
in our lives.”
Confess,
confess, confess, and go follow Jesus. Don’t sit there in guilt, condemnation
and shame, then you will miss out on all He has for you. Receive this wonderful
gift He has for you, He didn’t hang on that cross in vain. It was to pay the
price. Rejoice in that.
After
living it, and also hearing about it, I put that message into the Sister Blue
Thread series. Each book leads Trudy’s friends and family through situations
where they learn to go to Jesus no matter what the circumstances is that they
are in.
I
hope that you too will bring your issues to Jesus. He will make your path
straight.
Look
up passages in John 8, John 3:16 – 18, Romans 8:1, 1John 1:8 -
10
