Blog Layout
He Cleared the Room
Andrea Lende • January 24, 2020
John 7:5-6
Daily Word:
John 7:5-6
"Now Moses in the Law commanded us that such [women - offenders] shall be stoned to death. But what do You say [to do with her-what is Your sentence]?"
"This they said to try (test) Him, hoping they might find a charge on which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger."
We know this story well.
A woman was brought to Jesus who was caught in the act of adultery.
The scribes and Pharisees were trying to find something that they could use against Jesus.
They weren't really interested in the crime of the woman.
They were hoping Jesus would say something that they could accuse Him and charge Him with.
The woman was expendable by the scribes and Pharisees.
They were willing to give her up and kill her just to bring a charge against Jesus.
However, Jesus didn't respond the way they wanted Him to respond.
"But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger."
He did not respond.
He quietly crouched down and wrote in the sand.
If our children did that we would say that they were playing in the sand.
He did not rise up and condemn the woman; He stooped down.
He did not give a big speech against adultery.
He did not respond in any way except to write in the sand.
Romans 8:1 says, "Therefore, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus."
Jesus showed us how complete His forgiveness is on the day He didn't condemn the woman.
He not only didn't condemn the woman, He cleared the room from everyone who had condemned her.
Not one was there to ensure her punishment was carried out.
Not one.
I have spent many of my years on this planet feeling condemned by my sins.
Every time I read this story in God's Word I am more and more convinced that Jesus and His Father do not condemn me.
God sent His Son to die for me to take the burden of my sin away.
I no longer need to condemn myself for a certain allotted time in order to be forgiven.
I simply need to ask for forgiveness and it is given.
Today I walk in freedom from the past and my sins and pray that God will continue to forgive me and keep me from further temptation.
May you find that you are truly, completely, and wholly forgiven, and you are able to live in freedom.
Blessings be to you!
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for Your everlasting love and forbearance. Thank You for Your continued forgiveness. Thank You for sending Your Son to cover me and carry the burden of my sin. Thank You for calling me close to You, Lord. Keep my heart soft toward You, Lord, and keep me from temptation and sin. Keep me seeking You and Your ways over the world and its ways. Help me live in freedom from the past and move forward in Your grace and mercy. Put Your wisdom inside my soul so that I can live this life being guided by Your wisdom. May Your Holy Spirit convict me quickly, show me right from wrong, and help me do as You would have me do. Help me hear Your whispers, Father. Lead and guide me in all that I do, Lord. Help me walk out the rest of this life in victory. Help me bless someone today. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: My Holy Spirit is living in you, My child, and will lead and guide you in all things.
Response: Thank You, most gracious Almighty God.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.