PSALM 19:6

 That’s how God’s Word vaults across the skies from sunrise to sunset, Melting ice, scorching deserts,warming hearts to faith. – Psalm 19:6 NIV

Doesn’t this just excite you all to pieces? As I look out the window from this delightful coffee shop, I  read this, and  smile.  This describes  God’s  overwhelming heart toward me.  His deep love   revealed through  changes of the seasons , movement in the wind, colors all around. His care is creative.  Can you feel it?

I must admit, I am not overwhelmed with the enthusiastic excitement and peaceful contentment of this knowledge all the time. God lovingly takes me  through dark shadows because if  I NEVER WALK through a dark shadow, I  will never experience the wonder of sunlight

Receiving stickers, memorizing verses, when when you were young and daily bible  meditations may be your  connection with God.  You know facts or check off something for a to-do list.

When was the last time you read the bible to gain an intimate connection to the gifts  offered?

This is a fictional adaptation of the WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY (John 8 1-11) Receive the gift God has to offer you..

The night  was calm and  sweet. Peacefully lying in the strong arms of a man who showed her tenderness, she felt safe.  Not like others before with their ugly breath, horrid eyes and single desire.

She longed to be delivered from the gross life previously surrounding her nights. Days no  longer existed. Sunlight brought no joy. Shame  labelled  all  her clothes.

This man came to her secretly, but gently. The past few nights brought delightfulness .Could he  actually feel something for her, more than just  a body?

Suddenly, without warning, temple guards crashed into the house. Sun’s rays peeked  into the window. Fear consumed her body although she felt he would be near for protection.   She reached over to feel  the bed’s other side.

It was empty!

 

With anxious questions, she thought,   “ Why  were the sheets  disheveled and the bed  still warm? He was just here.  Where was he?”

Looking around,  no one was in sight to stand between  her and these  angry, hateful men.

Instinctively she grabbed  the bedclothes  before she was  yanked from the room. In pain and disillusionment, tears running down her face, she met the crowd in the courtyard.

 

The  hideous mockery coming at her stood in  complete contrast  to  the peaceful  quiet nights she just previously experienced.  Inside she hoped her lover would still come to her rescue.

“Surely he would not allow the legal punishment to be carried out.”

Clutching the sheets  to cover her shame,  she was dropped  before the temple leaders. In the turmoil, she could make out the  out the forms of two men.  Her life would  be changed forever by the  actions of each one.

One of the two men standing in the crowd she knew from last night.   Will he speak up in her defense? Will he express concern and care for her? Their eyes met. He quickly turned away.

The chaotic noise  from the crowd slowly faded away and she realized the man she recognized  was  the son of the Pharisee leader. Standing next to the loudest accuser  was  the one she gave her very soul.

“Please God,  “ she cried silently to heaven, ” if you exist, may the first rock finish  me.  The pain in my heart has killed me already. “

“What is taking so long?   Waiting for the discussion is far  worse than the sentence itself.”

4…. “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.Now what do you say?”

                                                                                                             John 8:4 NIV

She could not understand this other man. Who was  this other man?  His eyes were kind. His face was gentle. There was truth all around Him.  He stood and looked at her so  differently  than any other  man. What would he want of her?

This man bent down . He was so  close to almost touch her sheet.

“The Teacher  knows who I am. He cannot come too close or He will become unclean”.

Bending over very quietly, He  scribbled in the sand.

The Pharisees continued  their pestering questions.  On and On!!  Finally the Man stopped His scribbling. Without anger or malice, He stood up and proposed a simple statement:

“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her”

                                                                                                        John 8:7 NIV

He returned to the ground and His scribbling.

The seconds felt like  hours as she shook beneath her cloth protection, waiting for the first rock. The only sounds were  the swish of His finger on the sand and  the heavy  breathing of men.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

Rocks were slowly falling. Feet shuffled  away.

Angrily looking around, the Pharisee leader  watched  the rest of the accusers shake their heads and drop rocks.  Grabbing his robe to keep his cleanliness intact,  he swiftly  turned to leave the scene. With an angry grunt, and eyes blazing, he demanded his son to follow.

The young man responded. As his eyes met hers, there was no love, no concern, no care. Just a look. Hearing another urgent word  from his father, the son walked.

Left alone, she couldn’t comprehend what took  place?

She was not alone. The other Man was still writing on the ground.  She didn’t understand His gentleness nor  did she  trust it. The Pharisee’s son gave her gentleness, but it was a lie. How could she trust any man again?

Jesus stood  and rubbed the dust from His robe. He reached out His hand to her.  He looked  into her eyes.  That  was  more frightening than being grabbed and dragged into the town’s square. This man looked past her eyes and into her soul.

She had felt the pain of shame before. This was far deeper pain.This pain came after her time with the Pharisee’s son.  This pain was new and frightfully disturbing. The multiple men using her had never really taken a portion of her heart. The Pharisee’s son had robbed her.   A new pain coursed it’s way all through her body.

.

UNFORGIVING! DECEIT! REJECTION!

She felt  unforgiving toward him. His lies. His deceit.  His cowardice to protect her.

For the first time, she felt unforgiving to herself. How many times had  she allowed the purity of love to be stolen from her?  Or had she allowed it to be taken only to fill her own void? Either way, she felt a deep angst toward herself and her life. Could  she ever feel complete, whole, freedom?

Jesus  would not leave her. He was the only man, the only person who had shown gentleness and compassion to her without any expectation of physical payment  in return. Even the son of the Pharisee used  her.

“What do you want?” she asked. Her voice was timid, laced with a bit of defiance.

Jesus looked around and smiled. The courtyard was  back to its daily interactions, paying no attention to the couple.

.  “Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?”

11 “No one, Master.”

                                                                                            John 8:10 NIV

Jesus knew the pain in her heart. Jesus knew all the ways she had been torn apart. Jesus knew she would be stuck in her pain forever, looking at men as walking creatures who  lie and cause pain if she did not quit sinning. To stop sinning and be released meant to forgive herself and all involved.

       Jesus looked into her eyes as no one had ever looked before.

                   “Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.”

                                                                                          John 8:11 NIV

This man was offering her a gift. A free gift. No one had done that before.  It was a gift more wondrous than all the fine robes of Solomon.  She had a choice to say yes or no.  Once she said yes, it was a gift no one could ever take away from her. The warmth and balm of this gift would release her from the pain and emptiness trying to suffocate her life. Not always an easy life, but one forever whole and free.

YES! YES, I WILL RECEIVE THIS GIFT!!

 

 That’s how God’s Word vaults across the skies from sunrise to sunset, Melting ice, scorching deserts,warming hearts to faith. – Psalm 19:6 MSG

Is God reaching to places in your heart? Is there pain He sees, where you are asking if you will ever be complete and free. He says,  “Come”.

 

   The revelation of God is whole

   and pulls our lives together.

The signposts of God are clear

   and point out the right road.

The life-maps of God are right,

   showing the way to joy.

The directions of God are plain

   and easy on the eyes.

God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold,

   with a lifetime guarantee.

The decisions of God are accurate

   down to the nth degree.

                                                                                       Ps,19: 7-9 MSG