She Reads Truth: Women In The Bible, Part 4Sample

The Adulterous Woman: Boundless Grace “Go, and sin no more.” (John 8:11 KJV) We are familiar with the call. But do you remember the beginning of the story, the way the Pharisees brought the adulterous woman before Jesus as a human pawn in their attempted power play? Read it again right now, would you? Imagine if she were you. * * * * * She was guilty. There was no question. She had been caught in the act. Oh, the emotions she must have felt. She is already considered “less than” in her world simply by virtue of being a woman. But now, now she has been found committing a most despicable sin and then dragged by the religious leaders themselves to stand before the one who calls Himself the Son of God. Guilt. Humiliation. Shame. Staggering fear. When I close my eyes, I can see her there. Her eyes are focused on the ground in front of her feet, unable to look this so-called Messiah in the face. Could what they’ve said about Him be true? She listens to her accusers make public her most secret sin, cringing at the judgement and hatred in their tone, flinching at their every move for fear a stone might fly. She stares at the ground, waiting for the inevitable. And then she sees His hand. He starts writing, right there in the sand, and suddenly everything changes. “Are you without sin? Then go ahead; throw your stones.” (John 8:7, my paraphrase) Nothing. No one dares move. And so He does it again. He writes more words there on the ground as His unanswered question hangs in the air. But this time, they flee. One at a time, they walk away. Her accusers have vanished, and she is left standing face to face with Jesus. “Neither do I condemn you.” (8:11 ESV) Oh, that phrase, it makes my heart skip a beat. She was absolutely guilty, a sinner with no defense. And yet the sinless one looks at her - He looks at me and you - and He says, There is grace even for this. Do you come to Jesus in guilt today? In sin and humiliation? Does your chest tighten at the sound of the Accuser in your ear, whispering quietly your secret sin or shouting loudly your deepest shame? Call on the name of Jesus. Let His grace be your defense. It’s just you and Him, Sister. The pious have all fled. Our Christ came to rescue sinners. Thanks be to God! Click here to join the conversation with the SheReadsTruth community: http://bit.ly/wob4day1-1