Written By Sylvia
I could not have selected a more beautiful, encouraging individual than this woman. I cannot share her name because I do not know her name; however, she has a name, and God knows her name. I am satisfied without knowing.
You cannot even imagine how thankful I am that God placed her in my life for this moment. He is allowing me to see how free she was living and knowing her past does not define or master her as I heard her story from her mouth as I thought of my story.
Jesus shared her story with me because He knew I would have a similar story. All those centuries before my conception, Jesus knew our story would interwind but with a different storyline. She had multiple characters; she was naked and brought out in the open for all to see, standing around wanting her stoned. I cannot imagine this scene because I had none.
He knew I would, at times, step into my past with memories of shame, guilt, and regrets. He knew.
So, at times, My Savior, Jesus, would bring to my remembrance seeing Him bending down writing in the sand for the other woman whose name I do not know. He is letting me know that the dirt isn’t me. The dirt, though even centuries ago, wasn’t her.
She shared with me that after the men left and the women who stood in the background, though not mentioned, He drew a “Heart” and the words, I love you! I will die for you! You are forgiven!
She was asked where are your accusers? She couldn’t believe it as she looked around no one was there! It was just her and Jesus., just like it is for me! It’s just Jesus and me!
He tells me I am His own! He doesn’t condemn me! The only accuser now is myself because when I drift back to my past, there is no one, so why do I keep bringing up my past adultery?
As we shared, she stated she moved on, even though her accusers walked away, most still lived in the area. I shared I never saw again the face of my accuser or the person with whom I committed adultery. She stated she would still get a quick stare and occasionally whispers, but she kept going. She didn’t say anything, looked down, or walked in shame. She held her head high as she walked with courage and boldness! She walked boldly because her Savior had never left her to walk alone.
He wouldn’t allow her to step back in shame, so she asked, why do I? She said the same Jesus who bent down and wrote on the ground for her was the same Jesus who wrote on the ground for me and was the same Jesus who was nailed to the Cross and died for me!
I completely shared my story with her. I shared that I wanted attention, was being flirtatious, engaging in inappropriate conversation, and just yielding to my fleshly desires. It felt good, yet at the same time, it felt so wrong! Before I knew it, I was there! My adulterous past is never brought up by God or my husband. It’s me. I shared how my husband looked at me with tears of sadness and hurt when He modeled Jesus as he said, “I still love you just as much as I did the first time I met you.”
Freedom of the mind and heart comes with a paid-in-full price tag. The price is knowing I’m free to live a wholesome life in the One who bent down to write on the ground. The One who has redeemed and loves me unconditionally. The One whose blood was shed and washes me repeatedly. The One who tells me I am His own and nothing will separate me from His love for me. I have no accusers; no, not one!
The beautiful woman caught in adultery told me it did not matter that her name was not mentioned because others, like me, would need to share our stories. Her story will be forever known. Her story without a name is my name. She asks that I never forget her and that I should stop looking back and leave it in the past! God has erased it from His memories as far as the East is from the West.
She reminded me of Jesus’ unconditional love and the heart He drew in the dirt that day was for us and other women with the same story, just with different characters and scenarios. It was to let me know not to cast the first stone in judgment, words, the attitude of self-righteousness, or condemnation. Don’t be that accuser. Be the support, show love, be gracious, and teach God’s forgiveness as I share my story as Jesus shared hers.
With all my gratitude to Jesus, the woman caught in adultery, and my husband, I can share my story. I hope you will be motivated to know and trust that God’s love is everlasting. “Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
