There are many stories beautifully portrayed in the
Bible that capture our attention, overwhelm our hearts; and oftentimes change
the trajectory of our very lives.
I love to read the stories of courage, such as the woman
who had been bleeding for years who pushed her way through the crowd to touch
the hem of Jesus. Instantly she was
healed.
I think fondly of the prophetess Anna who was a
widow until she was eighty four and never left the temple but worshipped night
and day, fasting and praying. I can only
imagine a life such as Anna’s lived with pure devotion and selflessness.
Perhaps it’s because such stories of faith, devotion
and selflessness appear to be the exception, not the norm, that I am more drawn
to women whose sins are put on display for all to see. It is the humanity of these women that
strikes a chord within me, and oddly gives me hope.
Rahab was one such woman. We are not given her backstory but rather
meet up with her as she’s in the thick of living a life of prostitution. Her life is spared, as is the life of her family, as she shows kindness to
the Israelite spies. We are not told what happens to her after she
is received into the family of Israelites, but I am left to believe that she is
a changed woman, no longer bound by her life of sin.
This morning as I was reading the book of John,
chapter 8, I was drawn to the story of the woman caught in adultery. Imagine the scene as Jesus, the Son of God,
is teaching in the temple courts with a crowd of people gathered around
Him. Suddenly commotion breaks out as
the teachers of the law and the Pharisees bring in the woman, making her stand
before the group.
In a very self-righteous manner, they inform Jesus
that the Law of Moses commands them to stone such a woman; they want to know
what Jesus thinks regarding the matter.
Jesus, the holy, righteous, blameless Son of God doesn’t
get riled. He casually bends down and
starts to write on the ground with His finger.
This makes the teachers of the law and the Pharisees angry
as they continue to question Jesus regarding the woman.
Jesus straightens back up and says to them, “If any
one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again He stoops down and writes on the ground. (John 8:7,8) At this, those who heard
began to go away one at a time 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 8:10,11)
If we are honest, we must admit
that we are this woman. Sin is sin. Jesus is not shocked at our sin any more than
He was with this woman who was caught in adultery. Although we cannot stand face to face
with Jesus as this woman did, we have something even more powerful. We have the Spirit of God within us as
believers; we have full access to the throne of God.
As we enter into the presence of God and kneel at
the foot of the throne, confessing our sins and worshipping the One who has
made us holy, righteous and pure by His shed blood, we are no longer
condemned.
Our sins are forgiven. Those who accuse us no longer have any
power over us. Fear is replaced with love. Sins
are removed as far as the east is from the west.
Just as Jesus spoke to the woman caught in adultery,
He speaks to each one of us. His words
are words of life, hope and love.
Everything He is becomes who we are as we realize that those who
condemn us must depart. “Woman, where
are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, Sir,” we respond.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus will declare.
“Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Stay the Course...
Sheila Cote
