John 8:2 "Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?" Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. I wonder what words lay on that ground? "The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone." One by one, they all walked away. "Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?" (John 8:10) "No one, Master." "Neither do I," said Jesus. "Go on your way. From now on, don't sin." I keep thinking about Owen's comment: Be killing sin or it will be killing you. Do we entertain thoughts that have no place in our heart? Demeaning thoughts. Rude ones. Uncaring comments. Where do I fit in this story. St. Ignatius tells us to meditate on Scripture by placing ourselves in the story. Am I like the woman caught red-handed in any act? Am I like her accusers looking for sin in others? And where is the missing man? The woman was exposed and found Divine Light. The missing man missed God. Not a bad thing to be found out. Forgiven Fully. Mary Magdalene will be the first person that Jesus will appear to in His Resurrection. Jesus certainly didn't hold this sin against her. So why do I beat myself up for things I've done that are forgiven?
Luke 8:16 - "I don't make judgments out of the narrowness of my experience but in the largeness of the One who sent me, the Father...You live in terms of what you see and touch." Three times, Jesus says: You are missing God in this. Wonder where I am missing God in places in my heart I haven't even accessed or allowed Him to, I should say. We all could live in despair if we look at what is seen in us and in our world but we have the immense privilege to watch and wait in Hope for our Good God to show up this day. We won't miss Him if we live surrendered. John 8:47 - "Anyone on God's side listens to God's words. This is why you're not listening—because you're not on God's side." Look to things Unseen. His Unseen Hand is on you. He's not writing in sand today. He is writing on hearts (Ezek 31:33).
"Don't crowd me (He said)."
ReplyDeleteI will be pondering this one all day. Do I press God to work the way I want Him to work? Do I force Him forward when it's not His time?
Don't let me crowd You, Jesus.
John 7:24 ~ Don't be nitpickers; use your head—and heart!—to discern what is right, to test what is authentically right."
ReplyDeleteJohn 8:14,16-17 ~ Jesus replied, "You're right that you only have my word. But you can depend on it being true…You decide according to what you can see and touch. I don't make judgments like that. But even if I did, my judgment would be true because I wouldn't make it out of the narrowness of my experience but in the largeness of the One who sent me, the Father.
*Lord, help us not to make decisions solely upon our experience but in the largeness and wisdom of the Father.*
John 8:34 ~ Jesus said, "I tell you most solemnly that anyone who chooses a life of sin is trapped in a dead-end life and is, in fact, a slave. A slave is a transient, who can't come and go at will. The Son, though, has an established position, the run of the house. So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through.
There is authentic freedom in Christ, forgiven as Mary Magdalene, established as God’s daughters, free through and through!
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ReplyDeleteBev, I am praying this morning for your trip to the Holy Land with Dr. Crabb. I would love for you to share as much as possible with us, if you have the opportunity. I can't imagine how blessed you will be to have built up to the highlight of this year, studying His Word and then standing where He stood and lived out these Words of Life.
ReplyDeleteDeborah, I love when He gives us such a simple and complex message as "Don't crowd me." Earlier in the week, I heard Him tell me, "Don't be in a hurry." And those words had immediate application in my life this week. What a sweet prayer-"Don't let me crowd You, Jesus." Amen.
I'm not sure that it is Mary Magdalene that was the woman caught in the very act of adultery. She had demons that Christ cast out. Many demons. But I don't recall any verse that told of her being this woman.
ReplyDeleteMary of Bethany...Lazarus and Martha's sister...was the woman who probably sinned with prostitution. We'll be reading more about her in this book later.
I'll keep checking this for the verses that speak more details.
So many Marys! Hard to keep track.
I just know that the one who came and anointed Christ's feet with the oil from the alabaster jar was shunned by the religious ones at the dinner because of "what kind of woman she was." And she was touching Jesus.
I see so many writers confuse these two Mary's, Mary of Magdalene and Mary of Bethany.
Wondering what Jesus wrote in the sand...all my Bible says is He wrote as though He heard them not. And then He stood up and said to them, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."
Out of their conviction in their own conscience, they went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last.
He may have wrote ANYTHING in the dirt...or He may have revealed hidden things about each accuser...a name of a woman they had been with...a person they had cheated or even destroyed...He may have started listing the Ten Commandments. But they were so caught up in their perfect following of the law, I sort of doubt it was the Ten Commandments. I would think He was "outting" them in their own hidden sins. And they backed off quickly from shame.
But He wrote as though He heard them not.
How Jesus showed value to this woman caught in the very act...in a time of male domination...just touches my heart. He came for those who are sick. Male and female. Talking about a Holy Wheel of Revolution! He was changing the world, alright!
Women are not undervalued in God's eyes. Second-class citizens.
May we all hear His words to this woman and let go of past sins and sin no more. That's a simple calling on our lives as women.
Father, I pray that if there is someone reading this today that has this deep sin in their past...it could be anything from alternative lifestyles to drug addiction or adultery or prostitution...whatever it is that has them bound head-to-toe in chains of personal captivity...that YOU would set them free this day. Wash their minds, hearts, bodies and souls with Your cleansing blood poured out like a river. Heal them from haunting and unbelieving thoughts of self-condemnation and set them free in Christ. Thank You for leading captivity captive. Capture the captivity, Jesus, and bind it to never have control of Your child of grace again. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Bev, He is definitely not writing in the sand today. He is writing on our hearts. Go in peace to Israel. Shalom. You are a daughter of Abraham. It is your home. May God make you welcome in His Holy Place.
Deborah, I think you are right that it's not Mary Magdalene but I don't know. I went to only one commentary and they said she was Mary Magdalene---I was actually looking up what theologians thought he wrote in the sand. But I didn't find it. When I was typing Mary Magdalene, it didn't sound right to me but I don't know. That commentary said it was the same woman that Jesus first appeared to after His resurrection. Wasn't it Mary of Bethany?
ReplyDeleteI'll be thinking a lot about that statement "Don't crowd me." Demandingness. Did people come to Jesus to be healed without expectations? No. Did they come without that demanding spirit? I' sure some were demanding; some full of faith. Makes me think of the blind man who lost it all to follow the One Who gave him light.
ReplyDeleteBev, I don't know why so many claim this woman to be Mary Magdalene. Even in the movie, "The Passion of The Christ," it is Mary Magdalene that is about to be stoned.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many Mary's listed. I'm not sure this woman's name is revealed. If I were to guess, it would be Mary of Bethany. But I don't think the adulterous woman is identified by name.
Don't crowd me...I've said that to myself today several times.
Very powerful phrase when we want things to go forward and it's not time.
I think it's so interesting here that Christ's unbelieving brothers are identified that way...unbelieving. They pushed Him to reveal Himself and His power and Jesus was firm when He told them, "Don't crowd me." But off He went to heal the sick and to teach about the Father.
I love the book of John! It's probably my favorite book of all.
No, wait! Revelation is.
But...I love the Psalms the best!
Mercy, I guess they're all my favorites.
And my favorite woman from the Bible? Why, Mary, of course!