A Fresh Start, Part 2

A Fresh Start, Part 2

The Woman Caught In Adultery

Read: John 8:11

As I finished stitching the sleeve into the armhole, I proudly held the dress up to admire it. Then I threw it down in disgust. I couldn’t believe that I had made the same mistake twice. After ripping out the stitches and pinning the sleeve in again, I had sewed it in backward for the second time. As I picked up the seam ripper once again, I thought, Now I remember why I usually let my mother do most of my sewing.

Sometimes making the same mistake again has more serious consequences. Jesus’ words to the woman caught in adultery didn’t end with his assurance that he did not condemn her. He also added “Go and sin no more.” In a matter of minutes, this woman’s emotions ran the gamut of shock, terror, and humiliation. These were followed by immense relief at the unexpected turn of events when her accusers left. As the woman struggled to grasp what had just happened, Jesus’ face and words left an indelible impression on her mind. In the years ahead, the memory of the man who had saved her from the angry crowd must have empowered her to resist returning to her old habits.

God’s forgiveness sets us free from our burden of guilt and shame when we’ve done something wrong. But if we’re not careful, we may develop a flippant attitude toward his mercy. Some people fall into the habit of doing whatever they want, figuring that they can count on God’s forgiveness later. Being a recipient of God’s grace carries great responsibility. He doesn’t forgive us just so that we can escape judgment, but so that we can have a new and better life. By staying close to God and doing our best to live in a way that pleases him, our fresh start will become a fresh lifestyle.

Jesus said, . . .“Go and sin no more.”

John 8:11